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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24946000">The Differences Between Us</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Elli_Rizuka/pseuds/Angel_Elli_Rizuka'>Angel_Elli_Rizuka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Eventual Happy Ending, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:22:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>110,848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24946000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Elli_Rizuka/pseuds/Angel_Elli_Rizuka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dimitri gets into the possession of a book, he finds himself in Fodlan's past by a spell that was put on it. He finds himself back in the war that changed Fodlan from the reclusive place it had been, to the open country that he loved and hated 800 years after the decisive war had ended.<br/>Will he be able to rise up and become the Savior King that he had learned about during history lessons or will he break under the pressure of uniting a torn country?<br/>Whatever the case may be, he certainly is not alone in his endeavors.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>157</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The grey of the buildings in Fhirdiad was slowly converging into an incoherent mess before his very eyes. No matter hoe much time may pass or that he spent his whole life in this dreadfully liveless place that he had been born into, he never quite liked it as much as others seemed to. Time moved so much faster now than it had just a mere thirty years ago, or at least that was what his father kept telling him.</p>
<p>Not that Dimitri would know how Fhirdiad had looked like thirty years ago. He wasn't that old yet, thank you very much.</p>
<p>But still... sometimes he found himself wondering if maybe he never was meant to be born into this time. It was without a doubt too fast for him. Everything had to be done instantly, or else you're wasting precious time. And as everyone kept telling him, time was money. Except that to him time was even more valuable than money ever could be.</p>
<p>You could never know when your life would be unfairly ripped away, leaving those that cared about you to scramble to mend the hole your sudden, unexpected departure left in their lives. And while he definitely enjoyed the comforts that modern life brought with it, he couldn't help but wonder what it must have been like before the sudden increase in technology.</p>
<p>Had the people of the Fhirdiad centuries ago been able to enjoy their day, to look around the city they lived in and see another color other than grey? If yes, he might as well admit that he was jealous of that. In all his seventeen years of live he had only known the monotone grey that was so natural for big cities all across Fodlan. According to his teachers the chivalry that had once been the pride of Faerghus was now nearly dead and forgotten by the people.</p>
<p>Instead everyone now focused on making as much profit as they possibly could in order to grant their loved ones, or themselves, the best life possible. It was a sad reality to wake up to.</p>
<p>Dimitri had to remind himself often that life back then couldn't have been all that it was romanticized to be. After all, countless wars had shaped the citizens lives back then and there was no way that was favorable to the peace that they had now. He knew that and yet he couldn't help but wish to experience even those horrors as long as it meant that he didn't have to face the monotony of his life.</p>
<p>As he was continuing on with his daily track home through the grey mass of nothingness that was his way to school he heard a voice call out to him. "Young man, would you be a dear and help an old, fragile man with something?" He turned around to look at the elderly that had shaken up his repetitive thought process.</p>
<p>The old man did look rather fragile, having to support himself with a walking stick and being hunched over. And his fathers words came back to him in an instant. 'Be kind whenever you can, my boy. People may say that chivalry is dead, but we have to uphold it.' And so he managed a small smile, actually a bit grateful from the reprieve of his daily routine. "Of course sir. How can I help you?"</p>
<p>A weathered laugh escaped the man, a sign that he had to have been through a lot in his life. "My, it's certainly rare to see someone as young as you be so polite. But I digress. Could you be so kind as to help me carry this box to my car? I promised to bring some food to the orphanage, but it seems like I underestimated how heavy food can be. Or maybe my strength just isn't what it used to be."</p>
<p>Dimitri remained quiet while the elderly man was talking, just as he was taught was polite. "Yes of course. I will gladly help you out." His response was shot, as they tended to be, but no less sincere than he wanted them to be. He grabbed the large box, mentally thanking Felix for all the times that he dragged him off to the gym for some training, and waited for the gentleman to lead the way.</p>
<p>Once he safely stored the box in the trunk of a car that was certainly old but well cared for, a book caught his eye. It seemed rather old and for a moment he wondered whether or not it was the other mans diary. Or maybe a family heirloom from some important figure. His family had something similar after all, except that it was a lance named Areadbhar. Supposedly it was some kind of ancient artifact that went way back to the times of Nemesis the dishonored.</p>
<p>"Are you interested in that book? I must admit, it's quiet the interesting read that has been passed down in my family for generations. It originally belonged to a man named Solon, an ancestor of mine that was around for the war of the dawn." The young man jumped back in surprise as the fragile voice of the one he had helped reached him from immediately beside him.</p>
<p>"Ah, my apologies. I hadn't meant to stare at it. But it does sound rather interesting, especially since very few records exist of that time." A blush was creeping across his cheeks as he felt like a child being caught doing something that they shouldn't have done. But the man just chuckled good-naturedly. "Do you want it? I fear I have no children of my own since I never married. It would be a shame if this book was left to rot somewhere where no one can appreciate it the way it should, don't you think?"</p>
<p>To say that Dimitri was surprised and shocked would be the understatement of the century. He couldn't believe that the old man was willing to part with something this precious. Of course he would love to be able to read through a first hand account of someone who had lived during these trialing times, but this was a family heirloom. No one gave something this important away unless they had to.</p>
<p>But he could also not deny that he was burning with curiosity, a feeling that he hadn't felt in many years prior to this day. "Are you absolutely certain that you wish to entrust such a valuable thing to a stranger sir?" He just had to make sure of it. There was no need for him to feel like he had robbed an old man of his family heirloom. "But of course I am! Like I said, I don't have any family of my own that could inherit the diary once my time to pass on has come. And I'd rather have it with someone that can understand it's value than some government official or whoever is going to take it otherwise."</p>
<p>The book was held out for him to grab and he did, albeit still very reluctantly. It was a generous gift and he didn't want to seem ungrateful. But then he looked at the time and realized that he had to make a run for it if he didn't want to be late for class. So he said his thanks and bid the man farewell before running off, completely unaware of the sinister smirk that was gracing the elderly mans face.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Finally the toll of the bell relieved him from his own personal manifested hell that may or may not be called chemistry. Seeing as he knew that he had to have at least one science related subject and physics and biology had already been full before the year had even properly begun, he had chosen to take this miserable hell instead of anything that was even more advanced. But with the chiming of this bell it also signalized his freedom for today.</p>
<p>And he was ever so grateful for that fact. School wasn't actually all that bad for the most part, but today was just already too weird for him as that he would want to stay here longer than he had to. Maybe after homework he could start reading that diary he had received. Sure, he had no clue who this Solon was, but at the very least it was someone who had lived through the war of dawn. It was incredibly valuable to have such an account and historians would probably kill to get their hands on this.</p>
<p>After all too little was known about the heroes of that time. Sure everyone knew that King Khalid of Almyra had been acting under the name Claude von Riegan to see how willing Fodlan might be to open the borders between their nations.</p>
<p>A few pictures painted by none other than Ignatz Victor still existed too. Many of the ones that remained depicted his wife, Lady Marianne von Edmund, and it is still told to be one of the greatest love stories of all time. Though there was one that had always oddly resonated with him. The picture was called The Savior King and it was a portrait of the King that had united all of Fodlan into one nation.</p>
<p>He was named after that famous man, so perhaps it wasn't a big surprise that he was eager to learn more about the Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd that had been alive back then. Hopefully Solon's diary would contain a decent description of the man. Though he knew that he was definitely not a descendant of that King, since he never married or had children. Instead he descended from his Uncle Rufus. Or at least that is what his father had told him, but it was honestly impossible to tell. All that they definitely knew was that they were Blaiddyds since they both miraculously bore the crest.</p>
<p>That was another thing that he was quite curious about if he had to be honest. He could sympathize with the many that hadn't been too happy that the crest system was abolished, but he understood why it had happened. Families that had disowned their child simply for the lack of a crest was something that was terrible no matter how one tried to justify it. There had to have been other ways to handle these things other than relying on crests that were complimentary to some old relics.</p>
<p>Regardless, it had been a system that had worked for almost a millennia, no matter how flawed it might have been. So the unease and uncertainty about what would happen once that system was abolished was understandable to say the least. Nowadays only a handful of people were known to bear a crest. His father and him being two of them. And his former best friend Felix had one too if he remembered correctly, but he wasn't too terribly sure about that.</p>
<p>Thinking about Felix wasn't easy for Dimitri. Ever since Glenn died during what was supposed to be a simple investigation about theft they had been arguing constantly. Glenn Fraldarius was a man that had had a bright future ahead of him, no doubt about it. Brilliant, strong and oddly charming the police officer had given his life to protect a small girl from a bullet that would have killed her.</p>
<p>To him it was a heroic sacrifice, one that showed him that there were still heroes in their modern times even if they weren't labeled as such anymore. But for Felix, who had adored his older brother so very fiercely, it had been a foolish thing to do. The smaller man had constantly been angry since then, becoming reclusive and only rarely talking. Recently it seemed as though Sylvain, another one of his friends that he had become estranged with, had been able to coax him into being a bit more how he was back then.</p>
<p>Not that it really changed much for their friendship, since it was already too damaged at this point to even attempt to build new bridges. But still, he was happy that his oldest friend was able to smile again, even if he no longer was part of the reason why. Maybe one day he could attempt to at least regain his oldest friend to some extent. But he knew that they both still needed space from the constant fighting and he respected that.</p>
<p>Shaking his head to get rid of the rather saddening thoughts that were starting to cloud his mind, Dimitri packed up his things and said goodbye to his fellow classmates. All of them looked rather relieved to finally be put out of the torture that was listening to their teacher get really into chemistry as though it was the secret to life itself. It really was just another subject that he wasn't too terribly interested in if he had to be honest, but he could at least appreciate the passion that the man had for the subject that he was teaching.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Thankfully the track home wasn't anything special, which was strangely appreciated considering that his thoughts were racing with excitement to finally be able to learn more about the war of the dawn. Yes, Dimitri was a bit of a history nerd, so sue him. It was utterly fascinating to find out how much humanity has changed in some areas but stayed the same in completely different aspects. Like how today no one would bat an eye when an Almyran walked across the street, but before, during and even a bit after the war of the dawn they would have been stared at with distrust.</p>
<p>Personally he was happy that they had managed to find a way that everyone could live in a place that made them happy, regardless of where you might have been born. If he really wanted to, he could go to Almyra at any point in his life and not be viewed as a cowardly foreigner from a nation that was considered too weak to be threat. However the desert was just a bit too hot for a young man born in Fodlan, the former Faerghus to be more exact. He was used to harsh winters and moderate summers, while Almyra has moderate winters and a summer that will melt you if you cannot stand the heat.</p>
<p>But with the years he had come to appreciate just how different their climates were, especially considering that the wildlife was so different between those two countries. It didn't end up making too big of an impact on his own life, but he knew a few people that loved to study anything that had to do with flora and fauna. So he supposed that he was happy about the differences for their sake.</p>
<p>But when he finally arrived back home and went up to his room, knowing fully well that his father wouldn't be home, he never was at this time of the day after all, he decided that it couldn't hurt to start reading now and focus on his homework after a few pages. So he went back downstairs to make himself some tea, hoping that it would ease at least a little bit of the excitement that he felt.</p>
<p>Sure he would be reading something very important, but it just wouldn't help him if he was all jittery while reading. Or worse, his mind might drift and he would be turning the pages without knowing what was even written on them. That was simply not acceptable to him.<br/>Back in his room Dimitri made himself comfortable on his bed, ready to dive right into a fascinating piece of history that was too mysterious for his liking. So with a slightly calmed mind he pulled out the book that he had carelessly shoved into his bag. Thankfully nothing has been damaged in his stupid careless dash to the school. He would have been seriously upset otherwise.</p>
<p>But then he began reading the diary, finding that it starts a few years prior to the war. Oh well, that could be useful information too.</p>
<p>Day 15 of the Garland Moon, Imperial Year 1175</p>
<p>Everything is going according to plan. Soon the royal family of Faerghus will be no more and the country will fall into crisis. Though we are still waiting for Cornelia and Patricia to give the signal, our time for revenge draws ever nearer. Soon the Argatheans will have their revenge on the foul demons that rule on the surface. We who have no sunlight, no natural resources under normal circumstances, seek to take back what was stolen from us.</p>
<p>He was horrified by what he was reading. It seemed as though there was more to the war of the dawn than was known to the public. Determined to find out more even if it made him sick, he continued reading until he hit a strange phrasing.</p>
<p>Day 4 of the Wyvern Moon, Imperial Year 1179</p>
<p>An heir to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus appeared out of nowhere. No one knew of his existence, but that does not matter. It is terrible news for our plans at the very least. Thales had not reacted kindly to the sudden appearance of Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. It is not like I can blame him for that either. We need to get rid of him as soon as possible, but it seems as though he is constantly surrounded by that damned Riegan boy. We cannot allow a bond of mutual trust to build between them or else we might not be able to continue with our current plan.</p>
<p>That was... interesting. Dimitri hadn't known that the Savior King hadn't always been the heir to the Kingdom. According to this Solon, he had not even been known to be alive at all. A great relief for the people of Faerghus no doubt, considering that they seemed to fear what would happen if the Regent Rufus didn't have any heirs that bore the crest of Blaiddyd.</p>
<p>All of a sudden he felt a wave of dizziness and nausea take hold of him. He could barely see that the book was glowing with an obvious spell. Damn it, apparently he had activated some sort of protection. Although he couldn't be entirely sure of that, magic was never his strong point. Not that it even was necessary in times of peace to know anything about magic if you didn't wish to go into a magical field.</p>
<p>But he finally had to close his eyes and he could have sworn that he feels the world shift. It felt like it was pulling at his skin. He felt like his bones were broken and mended again and it was agony. And then he lost his grip on reality, embracing the darkness completely.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next thing that he was able to notice was that it was surprisingly warm and very uncomfortable. How could this be? He was fairly certain that he had lost his consciousness on his bed and that really shouldn't be hard at all. It was slightly irritating, but there really wasn't much that he could do against it considering that his eyes refused to listen to him and open.</p>
<p>Although he would admit that he tensed when he heard a rough voice cackling. It was a sound that seemed to radiate 'I'm-going-to-kill-you-with-a-handaxe' energy. These people were definitely not the kind that he wanted to mess around with, completely unarmed and still kind of nauseous as he was.</p>
<p>Hopefully his father was still at work and hadn't decided that coming home now was a great idea. Dimitri wasn't sure how he would react if they tried to seriously harm him. "Very strange clothing that you are wearing, boy." He wanted to lash out at the deep voice that he wasn't a boy, but he couldn't seem to really manage to do anything beyond trying to open his eyes. Seeing who or what he was dealing with would be a good start after all.</p>
<p>After all, he wasn't a fool that tended to mess around with the wrong people if it could be avoided. And right now he was in quite the vulnerable situation that he had basically no control over whatsoever. It was an oddly frustrating feeling. One that he certainly didn't approve of feeling, it made him feel like he was powerless to protect the ones that he cared about.</p>
<p>So he finally forced his eyes open, looking straight at some really old looking boots that had seen better days if anyone asked for his humble fashion opinion. And he really wasn't big on taking care of the way that he looked unless there was some special occassion for him to dress up. Like a company meeting held at their house or when he was dragged off to some charity event that his old man was oh so fond of.</p>
<p>"I usually don't care about what you wear but these shoes are quite disgusting." His voice sounded hoarse as if he hadn't spoken in days. And swiftly he felt a kick to his stomach for his well-meant comment. "Shut your trap, pretty boy. Not all of us are part of the nobility." He frowned in disapproval.</p>
<p>Dimitri wasn't sure if this guy was stupid, or if he lived so far in the country side that there might still be a few remote places that still believed in the concept of nobility. But when he sat up, he was shocked to see that he wasn't even anywhere near his home. Probably not even near Fhirdiad if he had to take an educated guess. Definitely still in Fodlan though, so that at the very least was a comforting piece of knowledge.</p>
<p>Then he flinched when he heard a loud female voice yell over to their position. "And what exactly are you planning to do to an innocent civilian, you bastards?" He tried to look around to figure out just who exactly was apparently trying to save him from whatever fate would befall him if these guys weren't taken care of quickly enough.</p>
<p>There was a blonde woman, in her twenties if he had to guess, holding a sword. She seemed to be leading a group of teenagers to young adults. But when he spotted a young man with a bright smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes. In the back of his mind he knew that there was a major problem if his assumption turned out to be right. But there was no way that the spell that had been placed on the diary that belonged to Solon had actually brought him back in time.</p>
<p>But then again, if the few remaining records were to be believed he was just looking at the legendary Almyran King that had torn down their borders after helping Fodlan out in time of greatest need. But wouldn't that mean that the Savior King should be there too? According to any and all information that he was able to get his hands on containing this particular subject the two had been friends during their late teenage years.</p>
<p>"And who are you woman?" The man who had kicked him seemed to be as confused as he seemed angry. Not that he would judge him for that, there was a good chance that he hadn't expected to be disturbed by a knight. Dimitri at least didn't even dare to dream about being saved by actual knights because he had been thrown across time and space.</p>
<p>And that was when he felt the nausea hit him with full force, to the point where he had to take a deep breath to calm his nerves. Then he quickly looked at his potential killer, who was probably going to die anyway by the looks of it, and decided that he might as well ask him what year it was. Just for actual confirmation of his current theory. Especially since he might not be able to tell if he had hit his head a bit too hard or if he was just plain insane. Not to mention that he was the only one who was in range of hearing him without him having to shout, which his vocal chords probably wouldn't allow.</p>
<p>"Excuse me, but would you mind telling me what year it is?" Staying as polite as he could was always important. People are so much more likely to talk to you if you're just a bit polite.</p>
<p>True to his prediction the man looked at him as if he was asking why the sky was blue. "It's the second day of the Wyvern Moon in the Imperial Year 1179. Did you hit your head that hard that you lost your memory, boy?" Alright, so he wasn't really prepared to hear that he had actually traveled to the past and not just accidentally landed in the middle of some weird LARP party. His instinct was to pinch himself, but he could still feel a bit of pain from the kick to his stomach, so it wasn't a dream either.</p>
<p>"Hey you. You might want to get out of line, or else Sir Catherine might not be able to guarantee that you'll be unharmed during the skirmish." Dimitri looked over to where the green eyed man stood, a grin ever present on his face. Alright so a young man who was probably a legendary King was talking to him. That was... cool. No, he couldn't lie to himself, this wasn't cool. How was he supposed to react to that? There wasn't a course in his school about what to do when you accidentally traveled through time because of a strange spell and now you were in front of people you had some knowledge of because you were a history nerd.</p>
<p>So instead he scrambled away from there so that the lady knight could do whatever she felt was needed at this moment while he was going to have a small mental breakdown.</p>
<p>At least that was what he should have been doing, instead he found his eyes drawn to the skirmish, not worthy of being called a battle really, to watch Sir Catherine cut down what was probably a group of bandits. He knows that he should feel horrified, that he should turn away and mourn the loss of life, but he couldn't help himself. It was entrancing to see someone so skilled fight.</p>
<p>He did flinch when he felt a hand land on his shoulder and mechanically turned to look at the dark skinned young man. "Are you okay?" A simple question. But it wasn't one that he knew how to answer. "I don't know, but thank you for your consideration."</p>
<p>Maybe if he stayed polite no one would question him and he could just call himself an eccentric that had an odd sense of fashion. His black ripped jeans, blue button up and sneakers were quite out of place after all. And with little surprise too. A quick look at Khalid, no he had to remember that he most likely still went by the name Claude von Riegan, highlighted the enormous difference between their style. Oh well, it wasn't like he could just change the fact that he was wearing clothes that weren't appropriate 800 years ago.</p>
<p>And there was the nauseous feeling again. The one that came with the realization that he had just traveled to the past. Into a time period that his history loving side had always wanted to know more about. But he didn't want to have to live through this. He wasn't capable of surviving in a world that would be plagued by a war that would change so much. He was still just a simple high school student that hadn't been sure what exactly it was that he wanted to do once he graduated.</p>
<p>But now the decision was made for him. And before he could even graduate too. And what was with his family and friends back in his own time? They were sure to notice that he went missing, right? Hopefully they wouldn't freak out too terrible much. In the best case scenario they would think that he had finally lost his mind and had run away. Which was something that he was sorely tempted to do right now.<br/>Then he looked back to where the last man of the small group of most likely bandits was currently bleeding out and he just felt pity swell up inside of him. Did these people really deserve to die? What if they had no other chance to survive other than turning to less than legal activities?</p>
<p>"What strange clothes you wear. Who are you and where are you from?" Dimitri silently cursed himself that he hadn't run away until now, although he didn't know how far he would have gotten. Staying polite was still the only right thing to do, even if he couldn't truly be honest about what had happened to him. "My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. I am grateful for your help Sir Catherine." He bowed with a fist over his heart as he had seen in a few documentaries.</p>
<p>His name earned him shocked stares though, not that he could blame them. Blaiddyd wasn't a name someone could just throw out in times like these and expect to not get stared at. "Blaiddyd? You're part of the royal family?" That question was kind of uncomfortable to try to answer. Mainly because there wasn't a true answer to it. Had his family once ruled over Faerghus? Sure, but that didn't count for anything in his time. So instead he managed a slightly awkward smile and shrugged his shoulders. It would be best if he didn't mention his crest, lest he accidentally threatened his namesakes claim to the throne.</p>
<p>"Well isn't that fantastic news? We have to get you to Garreg Mach Monastery. Professor Hanneman will be able to figure out if you have a crest. The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is in a bit of a precarious situation right now, as I'm sure you're aware." He didn't know that actually. But then again, Solon did write that an heir to the throne appeared 'out of nowhere'. So maybe he only needed to stall these two days until that guy showed up with his crest and then he could sneak away to find a way to get back home.<br/>Dimitri was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the calculating stare of the man that would change Fodlan.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Garreg Mach Monastery was a sight to behold even in his time, regardless of the fact that it had been abandoned as the center of the world centuries ago. His father had taken him there once during his early childhood, saying that it was an important place for his family. And while back then he didn't understand what he had meant, the older he had gotten, the more he had begun to understand.</p>
<p>It was in these halls where his ancestors were crowned Kings of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Even to this day they held the faith close to their heart, even if Dimitri wasn't exactly a religious man.</p>
<p>But looking at it now, eight centuries in the past when it was still the center of Fodlan, it was so much more impressive than he had ever thought possible. There were a lot of things here about the history of the country that had been destroyed during the war and it made his inner history geek eager to look at everything.</p>
<p>But there would most likely not be a chance to do so for a while. He was quickly pushed into an office where an older gentleman was sitting at a desk, enthusiastically writing something in a small little notebook. His best guess was that this was the Professor Hanneman that Ser Catherine had talked about.</p>
<p>The one that was apparently able to figure out if someone had a crest or not. So he was currently the biggest danger, because if he saw that he had a minor crest, wouldn't everyone think that he was part of the current royal family?</p>
<p>But there was also no way that Dimitri could run away now. Not only because there was a famous Knight of Seiros at his back, grinning as if she had just found something amazing, but because 'Claude von Riegan' had insisted on coming along too. And he definitely wasn't going to bet on being able to outsmart this man.</p>
<p>So really the only option that he had left was to grit his teeth and hope that everything would turn out just as the notebook said that it would. With the true heir to the throne showing up.</p>
<p>Although a part of his brain was already catching up with everything, realizing what he himself would probably deny for as long as he possibly could.</p>
<p>After all, there was no way that it was actually him that was the Crown Prince that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere as Solon described happening. His entire view of time being a steadily ongoing flow would be uprooted, although his family might call it fate that this had happened. But he just didn't believe in these things, they weren't something that one could logically explain after all.<br/>For now Dimitri resigned himself to accepting that he wouldn't be able to keep his crest a secret. He would simply have to think of another way that would adequately explain why he had shown up out of nowhere. Maybe saying that he had partial Amnesia could work. They shouldn't be able to prove that he was lying right?</p>
<p>Only now did he vaguely realize that this Professor had been talking for some time now and he felt a surge of embarrassment flush through him. He hadn't been listening at all and that was just plain rude.</p>
<p>So now, although a bit late, he focused diligently on what the man was saying about crests. "Professor Hanneman I'm sure that the young man must be quite tired and still in some shock from nearly having met his end. So could we maybe skip the hourly long lecture for now?" That was Sir Catherines voice and she sounded like she was in physical pain from having to listen to the Professor.</p>
<p>"Very well. I wouldn't want to make the situation any worse for him. So young man, if you would please hold your hand over this? No need to worry, it won't hurt and it's not going to take long." Professor Hanneman had a surprisingly calming voice, one that might get you invested in themes of discussion that you have no interest in.</p>
<p>Dimitri wordlessly held out his arm over this strange device that he had seen a few times in the museum that his school went to every year because the headmaster was too lazy to think about something else and it belonged to his cousin so they received a discount.</p>
<p>The crest of Blaiddyd seemed to materialize out of nowhere and he could only close his eyes and take a deep breath to calm down his nerves. This was bound to cause trouble for him. And after he had very carefully avoided trouble wherever he could too. But then again, this was hardly his fault. He had only wanted to gain more knowledge and sadly he had just been unfortunate enough to read the book that would throw him across time and space.</p>
<p>"We have to tell this to Lady Rhea. Maybe the situation in Faerghus will finally calm down a bit now that there is someone who has the name and crest of Blaiddyd." Sir Catherine was already grabbing his arm to drag him off to goddess knows where. He felt his eyes grow big as he looked helplessly at the Professor and then the young man. Apparently his expression was funny to him and he seemed to suppress a chuckle as he moved to follow them.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Thankfully the archbishop seemed to take everything in without feeling the need to look at him like he was the jackpot in some lottery. Dimitri was a bit embarrassed that he had only managed to stand there and look around the room in awe. Therefore he had missed most of the conversation, being too fascinated by all these things that he had only heard described in few history books.</p>
<p>"The goddess herself must have led him here. If the situation in Faerghus can calm down a bit, there is no doubt in my mind that this next year at the officers academy will be a peaceful one." Scratch that. He had just gone from jackpot to goddess sent. He had to bite his tongue in order to not retort that it hadn't been her but instead some really strange magic spell on a book.</p>
<p>There was no way that he would ever say that though, he rather liked not being called completely insane. And explaining that he had traveled through time and space was sure to make him look like he had a screw loose.</p>
<p>"Lady Rhea, should he enroll at the Officers Academy for the coming year? Maybe he could take charge of the class from Faerghus." Dimitri felt like he would throw up after hearing that he might not only need to enroll in some fancy academy, but also be the head of a class. That was entirely too much pressure for him. Well, not under normal circumstances, considering that he had been the class representative in his school, but nothing about this was normal.</p>
<p>"My apologies, but I don't think that he is prepared to become the head of a house in a situation that is just filled with uncertainty for him." Khalid, no still Claude for now, was trying to argue against it. He didn't know why exactly, but he was incredibly grateful regardless of the details.</p>
<p>"That is understandable. Surely he must still be very confused about the situation. We need to give him time to adjust and the year at the Academy would be a good starting point. So instead of becoming the head of the Blue Lions, ore even joining them, he should be able to choose which one he wants to join." His head immediately turned to look at the other young man that was standing here with them.<br/>Although he didn't exactly know him, but at least he was somewhat familiar with him already. Yes that mans intelligence would most likely become a rather dangerous thing for his secret, but it was still his best option. And so he voiced his thoughts out loud. Well, at least the first part.</p>
<p>He watched Lady Rhea nod her head in agreement, Ser Catherine looking a bit dejected and the future King of Almyra, he really should stop thinking like that, seemed to quietly judge why he chose him. But at least his explanation had some logic to it, if not much.</p>
<p>Little did Dimitri know what he had just started to set in motion would end up changing his life quite drastically.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>From the moment that he left the archbishop's office onward he felt like he was in a trance, stuck inside some bad dream that he would wake up from any second. But at the same time he just knew that this wasn't the case. He had to silently resign that he was stuck in a time where a war would break out soon and where he didn't have the luxuries of calling his friends to complain.</p>
<p>Instead he was now lying on a bed in a room that had been assigned to him. Right next door was the man that he had only read about with childish wonder and admiration. He definitely couldn't let it slip that he knew what would happen because he came from the future. On the odd chance that he wasn't pronounced insane he would have to explain everything.</p>
<p>Explaining everything would undoubtedly change the future too, since the war might wither be prevented or start sooner than it should. There was no way that he would carry the burden of potentially killing thousands of innocents more than the war had already taken. The thought alone was enough to make him shudder.</p>
<p>And that's when realization hit Dimitri again. Not only was he stuck in the past, but there was a war that was going to happen soon. If he didn't find a way back home until then, he would be dragged into this mess. He would have to kill people. That was a thought that horrified him. Never did he imagine that he would potentially live through a war.</p>
<p>There was no one he could entrust his secret to though, for so many different reasons, so he was completely on his own. It was perhaps the first time that he wished that he had taken Felix's words, about how being kind can end up with you getting into trouble or killed, mor serious. Now he finally understood why his best friend was so stubborn on that front.</p>
<p>Even Sylvain would probably call him a naive fool if he ever found out what happened, as unlikely as it was that anyone would be able to do so. And the worst thing was that he wouldn't even be able to argue against it as he usually would. They would be right after all, he was a naive fool.</p>
<p>He shook his head firmly, trying to chase these thoughts away that would undoubtedly keep him awake longer than necessary. Maybe he should try to sleep, it could already prove to help calm his still restless mind. He could start thinking about what to do tomorrow when he was fully rested and maybe a bit more accustomed to his new reality.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>When the sun was starting to rise on what seemed to promise a beautiful day with clear skies, Dimitri, who had not been able to catch even a wink of sleep, trudged out of his room to figure out how to get to the dinning hall. He could ask one of the students, but he really didn't feel like socializing right now. Not to mention that he might accidentally let something slip. So that idea was dismissed as soon as it popped into his head.</p>
<p>Instead he tried to recollect what little he remembered from his visit as a child. Surely the architecture hadn't been changed too drastically. As far as he knew, the Monastery hadn't been torn down completely after the war. If his memory served him right, the people back then thought that it might upset the goddess if they tore it down.</p>
<p>If he had been in his room back in his own time when he thought that, he might have laughed at the absurdity of it all. But he wasn't and laughing would make him look like he had completely lost his mind. That was definitely something that he didn't want. Just the thought of some monk asking him strange questions to figure out what was wrong was enough to pull his mood down further.</p>
<p>Now he had nothing against the majority of believers, as long as they didn't try to force him to believe in their deity, but for some reason the thought of being interrogated by a monk in a time where the teachings of Seiros were the literal law wasn't that pleasant. Mostly because the believers during this time period weren't exactly known for their open-mindedness. Quite the opposite actually.</p>
<p>It was the grumbling of his stomach that reminded him why he even left his room in the first place and he looked around to see if he could figure out where he was. It seemed like he was in some kind of hallway. It wasn't in the dormitory, which was at least one step in the right direction. But he also had no clue where his feet had carried him and that was never a good thing.</p>
<p>If he wasn't already so used to being a bit lost in his thoughts, he might be panicking right now. And to be completely honest he felt a surge of panic threaten to overtake him. But a few deep breaths helped calm him down, if he ever got to go back home he needed to thank Ingrid for helping him find a breathing pattern that helped him in these situations.</p>
<p>"Did you get lost Your Highness?" Dimitri whirled around to look at Claude with wide eyes. This was the last person that he had expected to see. And he really could have done without him while his mind wasn't exactly in the present. So he laughed a bit awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.</p>
<p>"Lord Riegan, good morning. Yes, it seems like I have lost my way." He saw the rising eyebrows, probably because he called him Lord Riegan, but he wasn't too worried about having exposed himself. Technically he hadn't addressed him in any way that wasn't proper. One day he would be Duke Riegan, even if it wasn't exactly for a long time.</p>
<p>"Then how about we go together? You were going to the dinning hall right?" All he could manage was a hesitant nod. Something seemed off to him, although he really couldn't place his finger on what it was. And so he did what he always does in these situations, he smiled and silently listened. It was a surprisingly useful skill to have regardless of the situation one was in.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>After they had gotten their breakfast and Claude dragged him to the table that housed the Golden Deer students, Dimitri felt a bit overwhelmed with all the new information he had received. Of course he would still rather be in the house of the man that will change Fodlan for the better than the future Empress that will start this war for some reason.</p>
<p>This was something that he hoped he could learn about during his stay here. Because as it seemed right now he would have to stay in this time until he could figure out a way back home. And while he didn't think that he was stupid, he also knew very well that magic wasn't his strong point. He was decent at the theory behind it, but when it came to actually casting spells? He was hopeless.</p>
<p>So in the end he might have to tell someone about his little travel through time and space, preferably someone who could help him get back home. From what he had been able to gather about the people he would soon call classmates, yikes that was a weird thought, Marianne or Lysithea seemed like the best options.</p>
<p>Of course he couldn't say that with certainty. He might have to judge their characters for a while, but that didn't mean that he had to stand still. During the time he tried to figure out who he could trust he would search for anything that might even resemble a spell that could get him back. Because as far as he knew there wasn't any spell like that available to the public in his time, or else Annette would never have shut up about it.</p>
<p>Thinking about his friends was kind of painful and made him wonder how they were dealing with his sudden disappearance. Were they worried about him? The selfish part, the human one, hoped that they were. But the part of him that consisted mostly of his memories with them hoped that they didn't. Most of them had suffered more than enough already.</p>
<p>Currently he was walking alongside the Almyran Prince, getting familiarized with the Monastery with his help. And an endless chattering that made it somewhat obvious that he wanted him to tell him about his past. Not that he could blame him, what with him being a Blaiddyd that appeared out of nowhere and is now slated to take over one of the three territories, but he wouldn't get any information from him.</p>
<p>Perhaps he was looking to see if Dimitri would be a potential ally. The thought alone nearly sent him into hysteric laughter. It was a dangerous thing to think about and maybe even a bit arrogant for someone who has no clue about the finer details of living in this time. But such was human nature and he was raised with the belief that humanity had advanced to greater heights since the war.</p>
<p>He wasn't too certain how right they were, he barely had the time to get accustomed to the thought of living here for an undefined period of time. For now though he wasn't able to see any major advantages in a world that had gotten so small that time seemed to be flying past them quicker than ever before.</p>
<p>A part of him adored the more peaceful and slower paced life that people seemed to live here. It seemed as though everyone valued every day to the best of their abilities, living in a way that they think will leave them with as little regret as possible when their time to move on has finally come.</p>
<p>All this thinking about life and death must have been showing on his face, considering that his companion was looking at him as if he was afraid that he would jump off of the walls any second. Which he wasn't going to do. Just because he was freaking out about the very real possibility of being forced to fight in a war to survive didn't mean that he suddenly didn't value his life anymore.</p>
<p>"My apologies. I seem to have drifted off to rather negative thoughts. I did not wish to appear rude." That earned him another strange look which he happily ignored. No need to further drive himself insane by wondering if one of his childhood heroes was currently judging him. He would just have to prove himself some other way if he really wanted to be a bit respected.</p>
<p>The easiest way would probably be through astonishing performances in the mock battles that they would surely have. He had once read in a book that the people of Almyra valued strength above all else. So if he could show that he wasn't some weak little chicken then maybe he could impress through that.</p>
<p>Although... if he wanted to do that he would have to put in some serious effort into his training. He never held a weapon in his life after all. He knew a few martial arts, largely thanks to Felix and his strange obsession with kicking his ass, but as for actual swords, bows, axes? All he knew came from movies and the many books he had read for a presentation that he had to do. In fifth grade.</p>
<p>So his knowledge was probably not anywhere close to being acceptable. But this was alright, he wasn't someone who backed down. Dimitri silently steeled his resolve to learn as much as he possibly could before the first real battle so that he at least wouldn't be a liability that dragged everyone else down. He would never be able to look into a mirror again if this was to happen for some reason.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>It was late at night when Dimitri finally decided to sneak out to the training grounds. If he wanted to succeed in becoming somewhat proficient with a weapon he had to cease this very moment as his chance. And it wasn't very likely that there would be anyone crazy enough to pull an all-nighter to hone their skills. At least he hoped that there wasn't anyone like this here.</p>
<p>As he had expected, the training grounds that Khalid had shown him earlier were deserted. It was the perfect setting for him to be able to try out a few weapons. A sword would probably be the safest bet to go with, but he didn't want to take the easiest route anymore. So instead remembering that stupid lance that was passed down through his family, he chose to train with lances first.</p>
<p>Maybe it was his stubborn pride that told him that he was still a Blaiddyd and that no matter what he still had his crest that granted him more strength, but he felt oddly comfortable holding a weapon. It wasn't anything to the point where he could imagine how it would feel to drive it through someones body, but then again he wasn't insane so that was to be expected.</p>
<p>It was easy to get into a few simple exercises that he had seen in documentaries. And it showed him just how grateful he actually was that he was from a future where he had essentially a few millennia worth of teachings at his fingertips. If Felix hadn't taken such a strange obsession with weapons and dragged him along to consume any and all media they could find he might have had a different experience.</p>
<p>But as it was he didn't have too many problems easing himself into a rhythm of awkward movements. He didn't let his more clumsy beginnings drag him down though. After all, everyone had at some point started out like that. And he would get better the more time and effort he invested into training. A good work ethic was worth as much as any amount of talent.</p>
<p>Dimitri might be lacking in talent, but he definitely had the discipline and drive to learn when he wanted to. Sadly nothing in his time had seemed worth putting the effort in to master it, so he never really did anything with it except make sure that his grades were good. Which most of the time was also easier said than done, since he had to force himself to study for certain subjects and his brain did not like that one bit.</p>
<p>Remembering his studies made him remember his friends again. He wished that they were here with him, so that he wouldn't have to suffer through this hell alone. He knew that it was wrong and incredibly selfish of him, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Most of them would fit here well, perhaps even better than he ever might although he supposed that this remained yet to be seen.</p>
<p>Maybe if he hadn't been so lost in his thoughts about home he would have noticed the green eyes that were staring at him, evaluating him and his every move. But as it stood he was blissfully unaware of the man that grew more and more determined to figure out the truth behind him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is from Claude's POV and it won't be the last time I'll put in another perspective even though I wasn't sure if I should do it.<br/>Still I hope you enjoy it regardless.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seven days had passed since the sudden and unexpected arrival of the new heir to Faerghus' throne. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was certainly an individual that was shrouded in mystery and if he had to be honest he didn't exactly like that. It was something that could threaten his careful scheming, even if the blonde young man didn't seem like he had any interest in inheriting anything, least of all an entire Kingdom.</p>
<p>Then there was the odd fact that he had been sneaking out every night to go to the training grounds by himself. It had been a shock to see that this supposed member of the Blaiddyd family apparently had not received formal weapons training while growing up. It was practically unheard of for any royal family to not instruct their blood regardless of whether or not they had a crest. After all, they could still become valuable soldiers to the army.</p>
<p>It was even more confusing when one thought about the fact that right now Faerghus really needed every able-bodied man to be able to fight against the bandits that were overrunning the Kingdom. There was no way that they wouldn't have instructed someone with royal blood to do the same, since it would be a way to protect their subjects. It was confusing and he didn't like the fact that he just seemingly couldn't make sense of it no matter how he turned the situation.</p>
<p>Khalid knew that he was missing a very important piece of information that would turn this seemingly illogical mess into something that he could better react to. However in these past few days there is one thing that he had already been able to learn about his new classmate and that is that he was stubborn. It was downright impossible to get him to talking about something if he didn't want to. And that very obviously included his past.</p>
<p>If he was a less patient man he might say that it was starting to become frustrating that he didn't seem to be able to charm the answers he wanted out of the older man. And he only knew that he was older because he had overheard him talking to Lorenz, who was always very interested in other eloquently speaking and well mannered nobility. And that was how he had learned that Dimitri was seventeen and that his birthday the 20th of the Ethereal moon.</p>
<p>It was a bit strange to think of someone that looked younger than him as the older of the two, but that might just be because of the way that he himself grew up. Being a mixed blood in Almyra wasn't something that one could just get away with without developing a keen sense for danger of any kind. The amount of times that he had to stop assassins was ridiculous and he knew if he told his classmates about it there was a good chance that they would declare him insane. They didn't know that he grew up on the other side of Fodlan's throat after all.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>After shaking that thought from his head he had made his way to the library to see if he could find some new information on the heroes relics. More specifically on the one worn by the King of liberation, Nemesis. If it really held the power to cut a mountain in half than that was something he desperately wanted for himself. It would make his plans just so much easier to realize after all. Besides, if someone from Alymra were to be able to wield this legendary relic, surely even the Church of Seiros would see that maybe they weren't so different after all.</p>
<p>Though when he stepped inside the library Claude was a bit surprised to find the Prince of Faerghus there, his nose buried in a thick book. This wasn't entirely too uncommon in and of itself though. It was another thing that he had noticed during the week of investigation. Dimitri seemed to love learning everything about Garreg Mach Monastery that he could get his hands on, much to the joy of Seteth and the archbishop.</p>
<p>Not that it was very surprising that these two would be happy about the future King of Faerghus being so deeply invested in the faith, the Holy Kingdom was after all their most loyal ally. Though if he had to make an educated guess from what he had seen of the older man so far, he wasn't a particularly devout believer, if he even believed in the goddess at all.</p>
<p>There were more and more things that just simply didn't add up about him and it didn't seem like he was going to explain anything about is strange behavior, instead seeming content to stay in his own little world where he could do whatever he currently felt like. Though that was alright with him, as long as it wouldn't clash with his own ideas for the future there was no need to make an enemy out of someone who could potentially even become an ally if the cards were played right.</p>
<p>"Your Princeliness what are you reading today? Something about the construction of the Monastery again?" The brown haired man kept his voice cheerful as he watched Dimitri flinch after hearing his voice. Clearly he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings which was a mistake very few people in their stations made. Assassination attempts were too common, regardless of how much your people may seem to love you.</p>
<p>"Duke Riegan. My apologies, I did not notice you entering the room. To answer your questions, no. I am attempting to find out more about Fodlan's neighboring countries. All that I can find however are xenophobic statements of merchants, monks and soldiers. It is quite frustrating." The older mans face was locked in a tight frown, disapproval clearly showing on his face. And wasn't that odd? Normally everyone just took the accounts as true and accepted that everyone living outside of Fodlan were savages.</p>
<p>"It seems like you don't agree with them then. A bit odd considering that every Blaiddyd since King Loog had been a devout follower of the faith and it's clearly stated that no one outside of Fodlan was worthy of staying on the sacred ground." That statement earned him a growl and a dark glare sent at the section of shelves filled with books on the faith and the rules of the Church. It was very obvious that Dimitri didn't agree with that at all. How interesting.</p>
<p>"People are quick to judge others and it pains me to see that. The Church of Seiros believes that they are the ultimate faith that everyone should follow and yet they don't even show compassion for others. This is not the type of faith that could sway me to follow it." That was... a clear message. Maybe this man could be a valuable ally after all. At least he most likely won't judge him if his mixed blood status ever came out. Somehow that was a bit of a relief.</p>
<p>"You really are an odd one, Your Highness. Don't get me wrong, I agree that there are very obvious flaws withing the teachings of the faith and I myself don't believe in the goddess, but I also know that things are different in Faerghus. So it is quite a pleasant surprise to find someone who is a bit more open minded about the matter of outsiders." The next few reactions were carefully scrutinized. A knowing glint, a suppressed smile and tensed shoulders.</p>
<p>This man definitely knew something about him. He just wasn't sure what exactly this something was just quite yet. There was just no way that withing only a week he had figured out that Claude was from Almyra. He knew that his acting and careful wording of things were just too good for that to be true. The other option was that he had always known, which might explain his tense behavior when he was around, but that would only lead to more questions.</p>
<p>Namely how did he know about him and where he came from before they had even met? Did he tell anyone else about it if he did know? Was he secretly planning on assassinating him during a mock battle? Alright, he had to admit that the last one was a bit unlikely, as Dimitri didn't seem like the type of man to just kill someone based on the fact alone that he was half Almyran. And maybe for once he should just stop thinking about these types of things. It might do him some good.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>That night he once again followed the Prince of Faerghus to the training ground, since he believed that it might be the best way of finding out more about him. Clearly he had some sort of secret that he wasn't willing to share with anyone and it was really frustrating. But patience was something that he had learned to master a long time ago, so he would simply bide his time for now and watch.</p>
<p>Not to mention that it was simply fascinating to watch him improve with the lance. He had to have some sort of talent for it, or at least a general knowledge of how to wield a weapon. But still, he lacked the finesse that was expected from someone of high status, which is probably exactly why he was always sneaking out on his own. It wouldn't look to good if anyone found out that the man who is supposed to inherit the throne one day can't even wield the heroes relic that has been passed down his family.</p>
<p>Although if he had to be honest, he would still prefer if Dimitri never inherited the throne or the lance. That was mostly based on the fact that he still didn't know him too well and therefore the older man was still a potential danger to his plan of tearing down the borders. He has come so far from his childhood dream, was at a point where it was reasonable to assume that it was possible to achieve it and he didn't want anyone to ruin it. That included the next King of Faerghus.</p>
<p>"There is no need to hide, Duke Riegan. I am aware that you are watching me. Please either step out of the shadows or leave, it is making me a bit uncomfortable." He flinched as the calm voice of said next King reached his ears. A quiet chuckle was all that he managed as he stepped out and onto the training grounds. He hadn't expected to be found out, maybe the guy did have some sense of self-preservation after all.</p>
<p>"How long have you known that I've been watching you, Your Princeliness?" His voice was teasing but genuinely curious. All he received was a small smile, a shrug of broad shoulders and a muttered answer that sounded a bit like three days. It may seem a bit dismissive, but he was actually quite grateful for that as it allowed him to take a better look at the older man.</p>
<p>Now if he had been born and raised like any other member of the nobility in Fodlan he would probably be disgusted by the thoughts that were rushing through his head. However, his Almyran blood let him appreciate beauty in anyone, regardless of whether or not they are men or women. And Dimitri was a good looking young man, there was no need to deny the obvious. In a few years he might even be one of the most handsome men in Fodlan, at least from what he could see.</p>
<p>If the other was disturbed by his intense staring, he did a good job of not letting it show on his face. But it seemed a bit like he wasn't exactly in the present but instead somewhere else. Maybe his thoughts were wandering to his family and friends, the person that he loved or just his past in general. That was something that Claude couldn't exactly tell just from looking at him.</p>
<p>But there was this urge inside of him to take him under his wing, to teach him how to survive the political hell that he would no doubt get into over the next few months and make sure that he wasn't completely blindsided. It could be the dazed, faraway look in his eyes when he was training or the childlike wonder when learning something new. Maybe it was the quiet reassurance that he had felt earlier in the library.</p>
<p>Regardless of what exactly it was, Khalid knew that he had to be careful. Maybe Dimitri wasn't going to judge him for being part Almyran, but that wasn't a guarantee that he would be sympathetic to his plans. And that was the one thing he would never endanger, as it was something he did to save others from suffering the same fate that he had to go through. Of being judged based solely on something that you had no control over.</p>
<p>So for now he would keep his guard up and be alert around this new factor that might mess up everything he had been working towards. But that wasn't going to stop him from at least being civil and trying to become allies and friends with the Prince. And maybe along the way he would even be able to earn his trust and figure out just what exactly it was that seemed so off about Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, the heir that appeared out of nowhere.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next few weeks Dimitri noticed that Claude seemed to keep a rather close eye on him. But not in a way that it would be obvious enough, at least not if one didn't have a reason to be cautious. But he did have a reason, so he was paying close attention to what was happening around him. From the seemingly coincidental bumps in the hallway, the accidental grabbing for the same book or the fact that he seemed intent on sitting next to him whenever he could. It was starting to make him anxious. He always had to watch every word he was saying very closely. Not to mention the constant questioning was driving him insane.</p>
<p>Like the one that happened about two days after he had finally decided to call the younger man out. "I was under the impression that every member of the royal family receives intense training from a young age. And yet you don't seem familiar with any weapon. Why is that Your Princeliness?" It was something that he hadn't been prepared to be asked, since he had hoped that he would be able to quietly catch up to everyone else at night. So instead he had lied through his teeth that due to his parents early death his family seemed to have forgotten that he was still there.</p>
<p>The lie was weighing on him heavily, to the point where he had actually felt the need to quietly seek forgiveness in a morning prayer. His father had always told him that lying was something that a well-mannered man shouldn't do. And he had always taken pride in the fact that he was considered to be one of these well-mannered young men. It made him stand out from his peers of course, but he didn't find any enjoyment in being unnecessarily rude to anyone, let alone lying for seemingly no reason. It just wasn't something that he did.</p>
<p>He did get past it eventually though. Dimitri just constantly reminded himself that he was very much in a situation where one wrong word out of his mouth could mean that someone would be able to figure out what was happening. And then he would have to answer even more questions about all kinds of things. And that was something he couldn't afford to do or else he might change the future that he originally came from. The entire concept was bad enough for him to get a headache on a regular basis, especially when he allowed himself to think about everything in more detail than he usually would.</p>
<p>There was even the one time that he had snapped at some soldier that had been sent from Faerghus to verify his crest and he had spent the next hour apologizing for seeming like an asshole. Except that it seemed like he only managed to confuse the poor man even more. Apparently it was nothing that was uncommon, a royal just yelling at one of their soldiers for absolutely no reason at all. Needless to say that that only managed to fuel his anger and he had went on a rant about how they were all equal and it wasn't right for someone to be rude just because someone had some problem.</p>
<p>He could still feel the stares of the people that had been around him. There had been more than one shocked and disapproving glare. Mostly from the visiting nobles since they apparently didn't share his point of view. Not a total surprise considering that many had their heads so far up their own asses that it wasn't even funny anymore. If he really was going to be stuck here anyway he might as well just be honest with as much as he can. That included his political views and anyone that disagreed with him could fuck off if it bothered them that much.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>On the same day that he had been publicly named the heir to the throne of Faerghus, dear goddess save him from this madness, he had been told by Claude that they would go to Fodlan's locket to support Lord Holst Goneril fight against the Almyran soldiers. Soldiers that by all accounts were just sitting there peacefully. He had to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down or else he might have started yelling about the injustice in fighting against people who hadn't even attacked them. Not to mention that he still remembered that it was Almyra who had sent forces to help fight against the Empire.</p>
<p>Of course this hadn't escaped the brilliant man that had told him the news and his reaction had earned him another question. "Why do you seem so reluctant to fight against the Almyran forces? They are our enemy after all." That was the moment where he had felt his facial expression drop any semblance of collected calm and he had just stared at the brunet in shock. His brain had worked hard to try and filter the meaning behind these words. It had been a test, that was the only thing he was certain of at that very moment.</p>
<p>Then his shocked face had morphed into a deep scowl as he stared at Khalid in pure disbelief. That was before he remembered that no one knew that he was part of the Almyran royal family. "If they were actually attacking us I wouldn't hesitate to defend the people. But they are just standing around peacefully. We would be attacking innocent people that haven't done anyone any wrong. Or is the fact that they are alive an offense to the goddess now too?" He couldn't stop the bitterness that had entered his voice no matter how hard he had tried to remain calm.</p>
<p>And apparently he had said the right thing too, considering that the younger mans eyes seemed to brighten for a moment before returning to their usual guarded look. Except that now every time their eyes met they seemed to soften a bit. Not enough to be noticed by the countless of people who don't give a shit what they did but noticeable enough for him. Alright, maybe that was because he was watching him too closely regardless of their situation but who can really blame him? It was his chance to meet someone he had always admired from his portrayal in history. So to be able to get to know him was something that was a blessing in disguise of a strange tragedy.</p>
<p>Not that he didn't want to return home any longer, that was far from the truth. But if he was already forced to stay at the Monastery, be a student at this academy and named the heir of a Kingdom, then the very least he should be allowed is to get know the people he had heard so much about. Maybe it was weird and suspicious, but Dimitri was good at making things seem less significant to him than they actually are. He had even formed a careful friendship with Ignatz. Admittedly it was only because they were both geeking out over a painting that portrayed King Loog's victory but still. They were able to talk about these things because they were both interested in these things. Ignatz for the techniques used and him for the events they captured.</p>
<p>It actually had resulted in him now being able to claim that he knew the differences in a painting that seemed the same simply because he had listened closely to what the shorter young man was telling him. And likewise it had ensured that Ignatz was now able to answer most of the questions about history in the exam they had been presented with. Apparently being from a family of merchants meant that he had some knowledge about these things, but nowhere near enough to get a good result. He had even thanked him after he had gotten the results. Something that Dimitri waved off with an embarrassed smile. he had just been happy to be able to talk about history with someone without feeling like he was bothering the other person.</p>
<p>And that in turn had lead to him giving small history lessons to Leonie, Raphael and Ignatz whenever they all had time. And if he sometimes threw in a few comments about why the tactics used by one side had been superior, well, no one had complained about it yet. All in all he was grateful that he had been given the choice which House he wanted to join. The Golden Deer were an odd bunch, all a bit quirky, but he had already grown quite fond of them. Even Hilda, who always tried to get him to help her with one thing or another. And well, he was raised to be a gentleman, so he indulged her. It was always quite hilarious to see her act as if he had just saved her from the most evil thing in this world.</p>
<p>If he had to say who he felt like he hadn't really gotten closer to, well, that would be Lorenz. He was difficult to get along with, always so very painfully aware of everyone's manners. They had enjoyed a few conversations together, but they were mostly about politics. Which was something that Dimitri wasn't the most knowledgeable on. He had his opinions, of course he did, and he had no problem discussing different views, but it could be frustrating. Especially since Lorenz was raised on the notion that everyone who lives in Fodlan was somehow superior to any other human living in a different nation. And he was raised in a world where borders were little trouble, where no one cared what your nationality is.</p>
<p>It had ended in a few arguments about what was the right approach for the future and in the end they hadn't been able to convince the other of their point. Lorenz was all for keeping their borders closed as tight, even wanted them to be guarded more strictly. Dimitri wanted to open the borders, to let people freely pass through Fodlan for enjoyment or business. And if he had to take the throne it was what he would do for Faerghus at the very least. Even if he had to discard the faith that had been the biggest support for the Kingdom. Change could only be achieved if someone had the guts to stand up and actually do something about things after all. They all could talk pretty words and empty promises.</p>
<p>In the end the actions that they took would be what defined how history would view them. And as long as he was here, as the heir to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, he was keenly aware that history would also have it's eyes on him. It was something that kept him up at night after he finished his nightly routine training. And if one were to look at it from an outsiders perspective it was a scary thing to think about. Something he had actually talked with Marianne about. And he had probably freaked the poor girl out with his view on how history will remember them, flaws and everything else included. After he had brought it up the first time, he had spent half an hour trying to calm the poor soul down. She nearly had a panic attack and it had filled him with guilt and shame for being the reason it happened.</p>
<p>It had surprised him when she had approached him again, wanting to talk more about it. He had been so certain that he had scared her too much, but she definitely was stronger than most people gave her credit for. It was through those quiet conversations that he had managed to find some semblance of peace with his current situation. Moments spent taking care of the horses together became his anchor in a world that was still too much for him to fully wrap his head around. In a way he felt like he had found his place here, a place where he wasn't smothered with his fathers strange expectations for his only son.</p>
<p>It never failed to make Dimitri feel guilty. Because every time he was reminded about the fact that his friends still didn't know where he was and what had happened to him. it felt wrong that he was enjoying his time here, making friends and precious memories while they were still stuck there. And during the times where he was just looking in the distance thinking about how much his friends would like it here, Claude always seemed to appear out of nowhere. They never talked during those times but they never failed to make them grow a bit closer. Just sitting there, each of them thinking about their own past. Both knowing to some extent that the other was hiding something from the world but not pressing for answers for once. He cherished that feeling, he really did.</p>
<p>And then there were the nights where they would train together. It was almost like a ritual between them. Something that they took quiet pleasure in and that no one else knew about. A secret between two young men that held the hopes of too many people and that had too different opinions on what was the status quo in Fodlan. Their friendship was based on small things and shrouded in the mystery of their pasts and that was good enough for both of them. They had each others back if it was necessary. Like the time they argued with Princess Edelgard about the crest system. They all had a similar view on it, it definitely had to go, but they weren't on the same page about the details on how.</p>
<p>The knowledge that such a smart young woman would sooner rather than later start a war that would devastate the entire continent was painful. And there were times where he thought about just confessing what he knew to the archbishop. If they knew about what would happen, then maybe it could be avoided. But in the end he never managed to actually convince himself to do it. He was too scared what would happen if he did.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were actually marching towards Fodlan's locket. Shocked wasn't enough to accurately describe how Dimitri felt in that very moment. It was like he was incapable of breathing properly, the knowledge that he was going to have to fight against innocent soldiers that had done them no harm was too much for him to handle. But regardless of how he felt, he still did his best to appear calm and collected. Only the goddess knows how Claude is able to remain so logical in this situation. Those were his fellow Almyrans after all. And yet he was still walking on with a smile on his face. Perhaps it was a facade, but if it was, it was a good one. No one seems to suspect that he felt any different than he usually did. It was as disturbing as it was admirable.</p>
<p>He himself tried to calm Marianne down while at the same time keeping his own nerves in check. Well as much as he was able to anyway. He had no idea how successful he was being, but considering that he hadn't been looked at strangely yet, he guessed he wasn't doing too badly. In a very twisted way he felt a bit proud of himself for that. After all, if he showed any kind of weakness here there would undoubtedly be someone who would want to get rid of him. And he really didn't want to die just yet. He had too much to do for that to happen. If surviving long enough to get back home meant that he had to fight against innocent people that hadn't harmed him then, as terrible as it made him feel, he would do it.</p>
<p>The blonde prince looked around to try to gauge everyone else's reaction to the fact that they were going to have to fight. For most of them it would probably be their first true fight too, at least against an enemy that was going to fight back with all their strength. It probably the worst way to get into their first fight. Instead of getting rid of a few uncoordinated bandits that didn't receive any formal training they were up against Almyran soldiers. Soldiers that came from the country that was known for their formidable warriors. It made him feel a bit uneasy but there was absolutely nothing that he could do against it. The only thing he could attempt to do was to do his best so that they wouldn't lose any of their classmates already.</p>
<p>It didn't make the current situation any less gut-wrenching though. And there likely wasn't anything that would be able to make him feel better about the fact that he was going to have to kill people if he wanted to survive. Maybe he wouldn't feel as guilty if he managed to at least help protect his classmates while he was there, but otherwise the fact that he was still going to fight against innocent people was heavy on his mind. It didn't seem to matter what he thought about to distract himself either. Not even the happy memories of home made him feel the usual warmth. It was like he was currently numb to anything except the reality he was living in. Maybe it was better that way too. It would give him less chance to be distracted when it mattered.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>When they arrived at the camp that had been set up for them, he was already able to smell blood. A quick glance to his right side revealed to him that Marianne was looking very pale, not that he was going to blame her for that. It was a difficult situation for them all, their first real battle and it didn't help that the poor girl was already not in the best state of mind. So he found a somewhat clean spot and lead her there so that she could hopefully calm down a bit. Then he looked around to find Claude, intent on asking him about what formation they were going to fight in. He would really prefer it if poor Marianne could stay as far away from the battlefield as possible and he had no doubt that the other would agree.</p>
<p>Thankfully the brunet prince was never really hard to spot. His darker skin-tone made sure of that whether the man wanted to or nor. Well, at least next to a bunch of way too pale soldiers. They didn't look healthy and that already wasn't a good sign. It was times like these where he cursed the fact that so few records survived from this time period. So he wasn't sure whether or not there was any big outbreaks of illnesses or if these men and women were simply way too exhausted. As mean as it made him sound even to himself, he sincerely hoped that it was the latter. Because the former was something that he didn't really want to think about.</p>
<p>"Claude do you have a moment?" He tried to seem as confident as was possible in such a situation with the horrifying picture that was painted here. "Of course Dimitri." They went to a spot that seemed a bit more private, which honestly just meant that not every soldier would be able to overhear them. Not that he thought that these people would care too terribly much about what two young men were talking about. They were probably just too tired and just wanted to finally be able to go home to their friends and family. A pang of sympathy went through him. He knew that feeling too well since he arrived here, so he thought he was able to understand that a bit.</p>
<p>It didn't take them long to agree on how to best position their classmates. They were careful to place everyone in the few spots that were, at least according to the reports, not as directly involved in the fighting. Marianne would stay with the healers which was something that he had insisted on. As she currently was she wouldn't be able to handle having to kill a person without feeling guilty to the point where she would just stop taking care about herself and he didn't want to watch this happen. He hadn't been here for a long time but he still cared enough to call her a friend. And he never wanted to see a friend so down again. Felix had been bad enough after Glenn had died.</p>
<p>At first Claude seemed intent on placing him somewhere far away from the battle too, probably because he still wasn't the best fighter. But he had resisted against that. How would it look if the newly named Crown Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus didn't fight on the front with the soldiers that were risking their lives? That in return had earned him an exasperated sigh and an eye-roll from the Almyran Prince. But it wasn't like the younger man wasn't able to understand it. After all, in Almyra you weren't even qualified to call yourself royalty if you didn't fight. But that's expected from a country that was formed from warrior tribes. It was oddly fascinating if he thought about it for long enough.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>The fighting itself was pure chaos, to put it in very kind words. They had decided to attack at night, which had immediately caused heavy protests from him about how it wasn't honorable to do that. They had lost sight of most of the soldiers almost as soon as they had started to engage the Almyrans in battle and it had been one of the scariest experiences in his life. Then they had lost sight of Leonie and his heart had dropped. There was no way that she was lured away by the enemy and killed, she was too smart for that. Regardless, They had had to abandon their plan and had sent Raphael to look for her.</p>
<p>During the time that they hadn't been able to see either Raphael or Leonie they had all been even more cautious, sticking closely together. Dimitri had done his best to try to use his less than mediocre fighting skills to keep Ignatz and Lysithea safe. The first time he had actually stabbed a soldier was still vivid before his eyes. It had been absolutely horrifying to see another human drop to the ground, bleeding out from a wound he inflicted. He still didn't know how he hadn't broken down right there, but it was probably thanks to the fact that the Almyran soldiers kept attacking.</p>
<p>It was only after Raphael had finally come back, carrying an injured Leonie in his arms, that he had been able to relax a tiny bit. That was until he saw just how badly both of them were injured. He had reacted the only way he had been capable of thinking about, thrusting the lance he had been given into the ground and taking Leonie out of the muscular mans arms to carry her back to the healers. And when he noticed that Raphael wasn't following he had actually snapped at him that he needed to get his injuries treated. It had clearly surprised him and he had followed after him.</p>
<p>The way to the healers had been tedious, filled with having to set Leonie down to charge at soldiers that were trying to kill them. He was very careful to never kill them, he already had taken too many lives for one life, so he knocked them out. It was one of the moments where he was really grateful for all the self-defense lessons he had been forced to attend. Both Glenn and his father had insisted on them and he quietly took a note to make sure to show his gratitude to his dad and maybe visit Glenn's grave when he was back home. Well, that was if he was able to find a way that he could return home.</p>
<p>By the time he had managed to reach Marianne with Leonie now unconscious and Raphael staggering, he himself had needed medical treatment. Not that it was too terribly surprising, he had been fighting without a weapon against people who not only had weapons, but also knew how to use them. It had certainly showed him that he had a lot more to learn. Something like this was likely to happen more often, so he really needed to be able to defend himself and his friends. Maybe he would need to add more hours to his training. And maybe he should actually start to train with the others instead of alone at night with only Claude as someone he could occasionally spar against.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>They had managed to somehow score a win against the Almyran soldiers. He wasn't sure how, but he didn't have a single doubt that it might have something to do with Khalid. But then again, he had no evidence for that, so it was best to not bring that up with anyone. Leonie had been the one with the worst injuries and she wouldn't be able to train for the next month at the very least, but they all had sustained various injuries. Ignatz had narrowly escaped having a sword stabbed through his stomach at the cost of having a broken arm from the fall. Lorenz and Hilda both had a few smaller scratches but it was nothing that would hold either back. Claude had been grazed by a few arrows but he didn't seem to be bothered. Even Marianne had a small injury because they hadn't noticed an enemy soldier that had managed to sneak in. He still blamed himself for that.</p>
<p>But true hell had shown itself on the way back to the Monastery. Lorenz had been constantly trying to attack Claude at every free moment for 'failing to take basic strategy into account'. Marianne had been more withdrawn than usual, constantly praying for the salvation of the fallen soldiers. Lysithea had been all around prissy and had snapped at Raphael who had tried to cheer her up. Ignatz was upset over the fact that he had taken a human life. And Hilda had been constantly complaining about the small injuries that she had sustained. It all had built up to the point where he had lost his nerves and yelled at them.</p>
<p>"Lorenz, shut your mouth. You couldn't have done anything better, you just want to criticize Claude. Lysithea stop being an ignorant bitch towards Raphael, he's doing his best to help. Hilda, be glad that you survived, there are many that would gladly take those injuries if they could continue to live. Ignatz, I get that you are upset about having to kill people, I'm not much better, but please try to keep moving." His little outbreak had at least managed to so what it was supposed to and everyone kept their complaints to a less annoying tone. Though he was fairly sure that they had been shocked that he had actually spoken out. And he couldn't exactly blame them for that. Usually when they were all together he kept quiet, too scared of revealing too much information.</p>
<p>It was probably the one thing anyone could realistically hold against him. He was always too scared to reveal things that shouldn't be revealed, so he kept quiet about a lot of his past. It was undoubtedly frustrating for his classmates and friends, especially Claude. But there was nothing that he could do against it. He wasn't going to risk changing the future too much. There was no way to predict the consequences of what would happen if someone managed to figure out his secret. It could potentially change the course of what was supposed to happen so much that nothing would happen in the order that it should.</p>
<p>So for now he would lay low. He just had to keep the plans he was forming close to his chest and wait to see what course of action would produce the most desirable results. If that meant that he had to keep a certain emotional distance from the others, well, he was already failing that point. Because despite knowing who would live and who would die he just had to get attached anyway. But otherwise he would be completely alone, without anyone he could potentially rely on if he ever had things he couldn't deal with on his own. Well, as long as they weren't related to him searching for a way to travel back to his own time. No matter how much he might want help with that, there was no way that he could tell anyone that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For weeks after they had returned to Garreg Mach Monastery the situation had been tense. It seemed as though everyone was just waiting for him to snap again. Of course he had no intentions to do so, but that didn't help make him feel better. The only ones who seemed like it hadn't affected them at all were Claude, Raphael and Leonie. But for Claude that was really no surprise when one considered where he grew up. There were probably a lot of people who had screamed at him in Almyra, for all types of reasoning. Needless to say that most of them were probably things that he wouldn't agree on, but that was just the way things were during this time. He had the chance to help change that and that was what was important.</p>
<p>Marianne had been the one that had recovered the quickest from all his new friends, but he also hadn't actually scolded her. That didn't mean that it hadn't affected her, seeing him lose his control like that. The first time they had spoken after that incident she had told him that he didn't seem like the type of person that would shout at his friends. "I'm usually not. But they were acting like little children and my nerves were already stretched thin from a battle that I personally didn't see any reason to fight." Then he had shrugged his shoulders and continued taking care of the horses. They were able to have a somewhat normal conversation after that and he was glad that he hadn't completely scared her.</p>
<p>Ignatz had been the next to come around, even going as far as to ask him how he managed to deal with the fact that he had essentially been forced to kill. "As cruel as it sounds, but it was either them or one of us. And I really didn't want to see my friends die, so I did what I had to do. It doesn't mean that I enjoyed it though. I didn't." And in the blink of an eye he had a teary Ignatz to deal with. Apparently he wasn't used to having friends that would kill for him and that was understandable. Though he felt the need to point out that Ignatz himself had killed to protect his friends and through that had probably protected them from dying. It was nice to see the quiet boy walk around with his head held high after that.</p>
<p>Raphael and Leonie had been pretty much acting the same way towards him as they had before everything went down. Leonie had been asleep while everything went down, trying to recover from her injuries faster, but when she heard what had happened she just shrugged her shoulders and told the others that he had been right. And Raphael was just too kind to be bothered by something like that, though he had asked him to not yell at anyone for his sake again. It had left him perplexed for all of two seconds before he had chuckled and promised that it wouldn't happen again. He had started training with the two of them, well at first only Raphael since Leonie wasn't allowed to for a while.</p>
<p>Lysithea and Hilda had sulked for a while, refusing to even look at him in the few times that they were forced to exchange conversation. But in the end they had been able to understand where he was coming from even though their forgiveness had cost him a week of desert for Lysithea and a deep cleaning of her room as well as a few smaller favors for Hilda. But it that hadn't bothered him at all, he was just glad that they still considered him their friend. He really shouldn't have gotten as attached as he was, but there was nothing he could do against it. He wouldn't deny himself friendship simply because he might one day return to his own time. It didn't make the present any less valid.</p>
<p>Lorenz had been the only one who he had not been able to reconcile with but that was something that he had expected. They already hadn't been the closest friends and he had snapped at him for criticizing Claude who he viewed as a threat to what he thought should be his rightful position. He was fine with that though, they both were able to be at least civil with each other seeing as they were both raised with the notion that they should always remain friendly if the situation allowed it. 'Good Morning', 'Hello', 'Have a nice day' and 'Goodbye'. Those were the only words they would willingly exchange with each other. A part of him missed the heated discussions about politics though.</p>
<p>And Claude... well, he was still the same as he had been before his outbreak. And he was still trying to figure out just what exactly he was hiding and not having any luck with getting information out of him. He had entertained the thought of telling him in these weeks, goddess knows how desperate he was to have someone who knew, but he couldn't risk it. The secrecy was starting to eat him alive. The constant need to dodge questions that could reveal too much, not talking too much about his friends, not revealing their names. No matter how much he might trust the other Prince, Dimitri wasn't able to confide in him. Besides, it would mean revealing that he had admired the man for years. That was not going to happen.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>"So when are you finally going to tell me the truth?" Dimitri stopped in the middle of his exercise and sighed, his lips quirking up a bit. Always the same question. "Maybe when you are able to tell me the truth Claude. An equal exchange of information is something that would be much more agreeable with me." It was his standard answer, something that would make the brunet chuckle and deny that he had any secret at all despite them both knowing that they knew that that was wrong. But there wasn't any laughter, no witty remark and it made him turn around.</p>
<p>The future King of Almyra was spotting a calculating look in his eyes and it seemed as though he was trying to look right into his soul. Sometimes he would get like that and it never failed to unnerve the blonde. It made him feel like he was an open book, like this man could just look right past all his lies. That obviously wasn't the case or else he would have already been questioned about everything that would happen, but it that knowledge only made him feel slightly better. And in general, their dynamic was something that he occasionally struggled to wrap his head around. They both knew that the other kept a secret and they teased each other about it.</p>
<p>"So if I tell you my secret you will tell me yours huh?" It was a quiet mutter, something that Dimitri wouldn't have been able to hear in any other situation. And it made him swallow, thinking about his own words. He had only been slightly teasing about telling Claude if the other came clean about his Almyran heritage. Goddess, he was driving himself mad with this damn secret he was keeping. To the point where he would reveal it to someone he technically still didn't know very well, still shouldn't know well enough by all accounts from the people from this time, but that was the point right? He wasn't from their time and he knew about them-</p>
<p>He had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. These thoughts weren't helpful, would only lead to him having a small panic attack. He had been down that road too often in his short time here. So instead he just smiled a bit and nodded his head. "Of course. If you are honest then the least you deserve is that I am honest with you as well." He tried to bury the small hope that bloomed in his chest. He wanted to be able to tell someone. And who would be better than Claude? The man was definitely able to keep a secret and he would probably honor his wish not to tell anyone. It was dangerous knowledge if the wrong people found out after all.</p>
<p>"That's true. How about a promise then? You will not tell anyone of my secret and I will not tell anyone about yours." His heart was racing as he nodded his head in agreement and shook hands with the younger man, sealing their deal that would only be upheld by trust and honor. "My name, the one I was given at birth, is not Claude von Riegan. It's Khalid. My mother is Tiana von Riegan and my father is the current King of Almyra. She is his fourth wife and I'm currently the seventh in line for the throne. But succession in Almyra works quite differently from Fodlan, so that doesn't really mean anything."</p>
<p>None of this was new information to Dimitri who had studied the legendary King since he was old enough to understand just why the man was so celebrated even though he was the ruler of a different country. It was still nice to hear, like hearing it out of the mans mouth made it somehow more official. "I understand why you would not want to share these particular circumstances with the others. They were raised with the mindset that Almyran people are barbaric and ruthless, which I am certain is not true." He knew that now it was his time for honesty. It was exciting, he was finally telling someone, but it also made him so incredibly nervous. He would be so vulnerable afterwards.</p>
<p>"Well, I did not lie about my name. My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. I was born on December 20th, that translates to the 20th of the Ethereal Moon I believe, 1962. My father, Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd, is a lawyer with his own law firm. Uh.. I went to school in the Democratic Republic of Fodlan in the city Faerghus. And I was transported through time and space by a spell that was put on the diary of a man named Solon. And now here I am, nearly 800 years in the past from my own time." The shocked look he received was in line with what he had been expecting. At least Claude wasn't outright laughing at him and calling him insane. A small comfort, but at least some comfort.</p>
<p>"Wait a second. You're from the future? Are you being serious right now? Please don't joke about such things Dimitri." He let out a long sigh before he grabbed the brunet mans arm and dragged him to his room. He had to have something that would prove his point, like maybe his keys, or some kind of paper. Maybe that chemistry test he had totally bombed that he had gotten back the day that he had been transported there. He shuffled through his clothes and found his jeans, digging through his pockets and pulling out everything he had in there. A package of tissues that he couldn't remember shoving in there, his keys, a candy bar and that damned test were on the floor. And a photograph of his father and friends from his 16th birthday.</p>
<p>"My chemistry test. Look at the date." His face was a bit flushed with the realization that he was showing his complete failure of a test to someone other than his father. But the expression that was starting to show on Claude's face almost made it worth it. Not quite yet though. He picked up the photograph and had to bite his lip to keep the tears that were threatening to form at bay. "That's a photograph from my sixteenth birthday. It has a date on the back as well." His voice cracked a bit as he looked at the faces of his friends and his father. Goddess he missed them. Not looking at any proof of them had helped him cope with the situation, but now everything was threatening to spill.</p>
<p>He felt arms wrap around him and that was the final straw. He broke down crying, telling Claude about everything. From the small disputes that he and his father had had, to the different mannerisms that he could still remember about his friends. About Glenn and how his death had torn them all apart and their friendship had never been able to recover from that. He even confessed the small crush he once had on Felix, an innocent little thing when they were still preteens, without thinking about how the laws in this time might very well be against people like him who fancied both men and women.</p>
<p>Neither Dimitri nor Claude remembered that the walls were thin. And in Garreg Mach Monastery were enough rats that were always scurrying for new information. Knowing that there was not only a son of the King of Almyra but also a time traveler was something that not everyone should know about. As the information reached a young purple haired man smirked. This might prove useful to know. Just in case he ever needed the help of any surface dwellers in the future.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So the truth is finally out there. And this chapter too. It was giving me hell while I was trying to edit it though. I'm still not entirely satisfied, but I hope you enjoy it regardless of that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We're finally getting to see how everyone back in Dimitri's time is taking his disappearance.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The 4th of October 1979. It had been a day like any other for Felix. Or at the very least it would have been if he hadn't gotten the call. Dimitri's father Lambert had called him to ask if he had seen him. When he had replied with a firm 'no' the man had nearly broken down. Apparently his former best friend had disappeared without as much as a note saying where he was going. And that was very out of character. It had brought all of them together for the first time in nearly three years too. Ingrid, Dedue, Ashe, Mercedes, Annette, Sylvain and Felix himself. They had hurried over to their friends house, each of them worried in their own way. They knew Dimitri better than even his own father did.</p>
<p>That had been nearly two months ago now and he was numb. It felt like he was the reason why his oldest friend had vanished without any trace. They had gotten into such a big fight after Glenn had died and he knew how much it had hurt the blonde. They had both looked up to his older brother and he had been too selfish to see that he wasn't the only one that had been hurting. And now he couldn't even apologize for being so stubborn because the boy that had tried to be as supporting as he could through it all wasn't there anymore. The police said that Dimitri had probably run away, but that just didn't sound right to any of them.</p>
<p>He was forced to return his senses to the present time as he felt Sylvains hand on his shoulder. The redhead and him were staying at his place since according to him Felix couldn't be left alone until they had found Dimitri. And maybe he was right, he wasn't in a good state of mind to be left fending for himself. And he would rather not count on his father, not that the noble Senator Rodrigue Fraldarius even had time for the only son he had left. No he was too busy preparing for his re-election campaign and comforting his best friend to care too much. And in a way he prefered this to the constant worrying he had been subjected to after Glenn's death.</p>
<p>"Hey, we'll find him Felix. None of us will stop until he's back with us, you know that." Sylvains voice had become one of the few things that could help ground him and give him hope during these harsh times. "I know Sylvain. But I can't help but wonder if the police was right and he ran away because he couldn't deal with the pain of being here anymore. Because if that's the case, I'm to blame for his disappearance. And if the worst case is true, his death will be my burden to carry." He couldn't stand looking at the disapproving frown that started to form on his dear friends face. But he had finally realized that honesty was the only way that he wouldn't lose any more of the most important people in his life.</p>
<p>It was something akin to a miracle that Sylvain had stayed this long after all. To lose his support now would mean that he would feel as if he was completely alone and he wasn't sure if he could take that. This time there was no Dimitri there that would let him rage and even punch him and remain calm and gentle despite it all. "Get it all out Felix. You'll feel better then." That was what his best friend had said time and time again. Every time that he had lashed out against him for being annoying, every time he had thrown a punch in the hopes to hurt him, every time he had insulted the boy that had tried to help him out of the darkness that threatened to swallow him alive. They had to find him, regardless of what it would cost.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Dedue would never openly admit it, but he was still in a state of shock from the news that Dimitri had supposedly run away from his home. When he had gotten the call from Mister Blaiddyd two months ago, he had honestly thought that it was the blonde man's idea of a terrible joke. But sooner than he had liked, reality had become all too clear. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was missing and no one had any idea where he went. The police tried to keep them calm by saying that surely he had just run away and would return. That he had been in a rebellious phase where he felt the need to act out against everything society thought was appropriate.</p>
<p>But he knew better. Ever since that scrawny kid had stood up to some boy that had decided to make a very out of place racist comment on the fact that he was from Duscur, he had stuck close to the others side. He had been there when Glenn Fraldarius died and Felix had decided to cut off any friendship between them, simply because they didn't share the same viewpoint. He had held him when he had broken down and confessed that he so terribly missed the man he had looked up to. He had supported him when Dimitri told him that he felt like had been forced to grow up too soon after his mother's untimely death, because he needed to be strong for his father.</p>
<p>So really, there was no one more qualified to judge if the younger man had run away or not. And it was his firm believe, which he had expressed quite loudly for once, that it was impossible that he had run away. The blonde would have felt far too guilty to do that to any of them. Despite what many of their fellow classmates believed, Dimitri was a smart boy, brilliant in some ways even. He had been blessed with enough empathy and kindness that he hadn't hesitated to put himself in front of someone who came from Duscur. He hadn't even thought about the consequences that it might have had for him, he had just cared about the fact that Dedue wasn't being treated unkindly anymore.</p>
<p>And he had introduced him to Ashe. Sweet, kind Ashe who had been perhaps even more blessed with empathy and kindness. It had made him an easy target for others when they had only started to become friends. It wasn't that much of a problem anymore, what with both Dimitri and Dedue being tall and muscular and kind of intimidating, so they were able to protect him now. It had been Dimitri, his best friend, that had pushed him to just ask Ashe out, so without him he wouldn't have found his happiness when he did. There was just so much that he had to repay, so many favors that he needed to return, that he couldn't take the excuses the police made up.</p>
<p>Besides, Ashe was heartbroken too. He tried his best to hide, knowing in how much pain Dedue had to be, bless his heart, but he was always so easily affected. In the blink of a moment they had lost a huge source of support in their lives and were now left struggling with the aftermath. And both silver haired young men knew that there was something strange about the entire situation, something that seemed to have surprised even Dimitri himself, which would contradict every statement the police had made public. And of course the case had gone public. The Blaiddyd family was still famous in Fodlan, even more so in what was once Faerghus, so it really wasn't that big of a surprise.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Ingrid had never liked too much noise in her life. She thought that it might have been one of the reasons why she had fallen so hard and so fast for Glenn. He had never been one for many words and they were able to just sit together and enjoy some silence. A retreat for both of them, or at least that's what she liked to think. It was hard to ask a dead man for his opinion though and she had never asked him while he was alive. Not from lack of trying or anything like that, she just hadn't found the courage to actually go through with one of her many plans to ask him. But seeing as he had never sent her away, as he so often tended to do to Dimitri and Slyvain, occasionally even Felix, she thought that perhaps her assumptions weren't completely baseless.</p>
<p>But now she couldn't stand the quiet anymore. Three years ago she had lost Glenn, before she had been able to confess her feelings to him, even though she had a feeling that he knew. Back then she had been inconsolable, constantly crying and trying to get as much quiet as possible, to at least feel like she was sharing something with him even if he was dead and not with her. During that time it had been Dimitri who had silently sat down beside her for hours on end, not saying anything, only keeping her company to show her that she wasn't alone despite what she believed. They had spent more time just reading books together than they had ever done before. And it had ended in her finding a new appreciation for one of her oldest friends.</p>
<p>Now she had lost that friend too. But unlike with Glenn it wasn't even anything where she could maybe one day say that she could find peace with the situation. There was no body that proved that he was dead, no evidence that there had been any harm done to him at all really. But Dimitri wouldn't have run away, he would have been too worried what would happen to his father if he left, what would happen to all of them. He simply was like that, constantly worrying that they would break apart even more if he wasn't there to be the bit of glue that still held them together. So really, the only possibility was that someone had kidnapped him. And the thought was almost too cruel to bear.</p>
<p>Why would someone do something so inhumane? And why did it have to be Dimitri that they took? She knew she was being selfish and that it definitely would have earned her a scolding from her friend, but she didn't want to face the reality that he had been missing for two months. There hadn't been any demands for ransom made, so whoever took him hadn't done it for money. One horrible scenario after the other filled her head if she sat in the quiet for too long. Mental images of her poor, kind friend being held hostage by some creep. Then switching to imagining if he was dragged into one of those human trafficking rings that still existed. And through it all the quiet was a reminder that she had no idea what had truly happened. It was slowly driving her insane.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Annette hadn't been exactly close to Dimitri when she had heard the news of his disappearance. They had worked together on a project once and he had seemed nice enough. But they weren't close friends like the rest of the group. That might have had something to do with the fact that she spent more time with Mercedes than anyone else though. And Mercie was older than everyone else, so she felt a bit out of place at times, hanging around high schoolers when she was already in college. It was pretty obvious too, at least when they all used to meet up once or twice a month. Dimitri had always done his best to make her feel included though and Annette was incredibly grateful for that. Her best friend didn't have enough people that she could rely on when she needed to and she had hoped that maybe everything would change.</p>
<p>And perhaps that is why the blonde's disappearance hit her pretty hard. There wasn't any sign of a struggle or that he had run away. It was frightening if she had to be honest. The faint traces of a strong dark magic spell that she had been able to feel when she had entered his room hadn't reassured her at all. It was obvious that there was something happening that none of them could really understand yet. Mercie had been over to investigate herself and she had almost passed out when she felt the magic. So for now all that they definitely knew was that whatever or whoever had taken Dimitri, they weren't the type of person to be friendly. For now all they could do though was trying to research what kind of spell it had been exactly.</p>
<p>Which is precisely what they had done for the past two months and yet they hadn't gotten a single step farther than what they had already been able to conclude. It was some strong dark magic spell that was most likely put on an object and it appeared to have targeted the young Blaiddyd specifically. The thought of someone willingly and knowingly targeting someone who wouldn't hurt a fly unless necessary was what kept her up at night. They were doing their best to find a way to at least identify the object which had been cursed, in the hopes that maybe then they would have a way of identifying the spell that had been used. For now they hadn't had any success, but they hadn't been able to enter the blonde's room more than twice as per the orders of the police.</p>
<p>Thankfully by now even Mister Blaiddyd himself seemed to doubt that the local police force of Fhirdiad was capable of finding his son. So this week they had finally managed to find a schedule when he would help them get into Dimitri's room. Hopefully when he returned he would understand why they had been going through his things, but she wasn't really too worried about that. It was something that they had to do in order to get him back home and surely he would be as understanding with them as he had always been. They were all starting to get desperate to find any kind of clue, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant. Felix and Sylvain had been carefully roaming through Glenn Fraldarius cases, something that no one was ever allowed to find out about.</p>
<p>For now their theory was based loosely on the fact that Mister Blaiddyd was both an influental man due to his family's history of ruling Faerghus, but also an important figure in the legal cases against different gangs. There might have been someone who had been released from prison and was now seeking to harm the man that had gotten him locked up in the first place. And what better way to target a single father than to take his only child away and not let them know anything. On the other hand though, this was something only very few people would actually dare to do. Whoever did it had to have known that the case would blow up and they clearly weren't afraid. For now all they could do was look more into everything and hope that their friend was alright, wherever he currently was.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd had once been a man that had stood tall and proud, radiant like the sun that reflected against the snow in the winters of Fhirdiad. After losing his beloved wife, he had already taken a heavy hit. But his son, his strong, compassionate son, had kept him moving forward. Because while Dimitri looked a lot more like him than he did his mother, he had taken after her kindness and patience. But now he had lost the last part of his family that mattered to him and he wasn't quite sure how he would go on. He couldn't stay in their home for very long or else the countless memories of both his wife and son threatened to overwhelm him. For now he was staying with Rodrigue, but that wasn't a perfect solution either.</p>
<p>But regardless of that fact, he was so incredibly grateful to have a man like Rodrigue Fraldarius as his best friend. They had been through a lot together, had held each other when their parents died in a plane crash, had encouraged each other to ask out their future wives, had been each others best man, had cried together at the births of their children. They were brothers to each other and their bond had remained strong for their entire lives that they had known the other. When his wife had died, it had been Rodrigue who had been there for him. When the other man's wife filed for a divorce, Lambert had taken up the case, despite it not being exactly ethically correct. When Glenn had died, they had cried for hours and hours in front of the grave, had tried to spoil Felix and Dimitri.</p>
<p>And now that his son was gone, taken from him without a body to bury or even the certainty that he was dead, it was once again Rodrigue who was his biggest support. He was a blessed man and he was fully aware of that. He had grown up not wanting for anything, with plenty of friends, good grades and food and shelter at all times. There had been vacations and day trips and birthday parties and whatever else he had wanted. And he had tried to give all of that to his son, even if he might have been a bit overbearing in that regard. And he had done his best to give that to Rodrigue and his children too. In a way they were already more his family than his cousins that he met once a year on thanksgiving, an event both Dimitri and him always dreaded.</p>
<p>But even Rodrigues house was full of memories, of times he spent with his wife and son here. Of the song he had often sung to Dimitri about how he will blow them all away. "Lambert, you haven't even touched your lunch yet. I know that you're upset about Dimitri, but you have to remain healthy. He'll blame himself if you aren't doing well when he's back home." The low, soothing voice that belonged to Rodrigue reached his ears and he smiled a bit, although it wasn't as happy as he wanted it to be. "I know my friend. And I will eat, but I was just lost in memories. Do you remember the song we wrote together, when we learned that we would both become fathers around the same time?" Similar smiles that spoke of fond memories formed on their faces.</p>
<p>"Yeah I do. You actually rewrote it after your wife died, right?" That earned Rodrigue a small nod from Lambert. "Will you sing it for me?" He had to swallow hard to get rid of the lump that was forming in his throat before slowly humming the melody. "She dedicated every day to you. She changed my life, she made my life worthwhile. And when you smile, I know a part of her lives on, I know I can go on. You have come of age with our young nation. We bleed and fight for you, sometimes it seems that's all we do. But you and I will build a strong foundation and I'll be here for you, the way is clear for you to blow us all away. Someday, someday, yeah you'll blow us all away. Someday, someday..." He broke into tears after he finished the small part he had rewritten. He missed his son so much.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I believe that this is the longest chapter that I've written to date.</p>
<p>The song Lambert sings is a cut song from the Musical 'Hamilton' and therefore all rights to 'Dear Theodosia (Reprise)' belong to the genius Lin-Manuel Miranda and anyone who might have worked on the song.</p>
<p>On another note, I've been thinking about maybe updating twice a week for as long as I'm able to, since these past few days I've been able to edit a good amount of chapters.</p>
<p>Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and have a wonderful day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dimitri was a bit surprised at how normal everything felt after he had told Claude about his biggest secret. It was definitely a huge relief to him that he no longer had to lie about literally everything to everyone he now considered a friend. When there where times where he couldn't really seem to function because he missed his home so much, it was the brunet who took him away from the stress that socializing could be in the wrong circumstances. And he was able to tell the younger man about his old friends, about his family, without having to be careful what words he chose to not give away too much information. Of course there had been the expected questions about what he knew would happen, at least according to his timeline, but he was doing a good job at not giving an actual answer.</p>
<p>It seemed like his life was taking a turn for the better, a feeling he hadn't felt in years considering that Glenns death had devastated him to a point where he thought he couldn't go on anymore. But he managed and he finally wasn't alone anymore. He gave very vague hints about something happening in the Adrestian Empire and that perhaps they should keep a closer eye on Edelgard, but other than that he hadn't said anything. And even those hints were given in a moment of weakness, after a nightmare that had forced him to relive both his mothers and Glenns death again. Apparently he had been screaming in his sleep and that had worried the Almyran, so he had managed to sneak into his room and woken him up. It was weirdly sweet of him and Dimitri had made sure to convey his gratitude after he had calmed down a bit.</p>
<p>And then there was that one day where he had mindlessly hummed a song that his father had sung for him as a child. He had vague memories of hearing a different version when he was much younger, but the one he remembered and was humming was the one he had heard after his mothers death. Now he knew that all of the Golden Deers were about as nosy as their house leader, considering that they had essentially forced him to sing it. Only to then promptly apologize when he explained that his father had sung this to him after his mothers death following some illness that seemingly no doctor could cure. He had brushed the apologies off with an uncomfortable smile, not wanting anyone to feel guilty for something that they didn't even know anything about. It just didn't sit right with him that these people who hadn't known him for more than at best two and a half months had felt guilty for not knowing that his mother had died.</p>
<p>On a positive note, after that rather embarrassing show of his semi decent voice, he and Lorenz had finally been able to put the whole ordeal of him snapping at them behind them. He wasn't entirely convinced that it wasn't at least because he was pitied a bit, but he wouldn't question it. That would just lead to more difficulties than they had already faced before and he really enjoyed arguing with Lorenz. Their discussions about politics were always enlightening and he learned an awful lot from them about how most nobles in this time seemed to think. He had to stifle a few laughs at various points in time because the points that were raised sometimes reminded him of Ingrid and her rather unique political stand. She was by no means a racist, but she was more wary of people that claims that they couldn't live in their country because they didn't belong there. It had also been quite funny to see the purple haired mans face when he told him that.</p>
<p>So all in all he would consider himself lucky for having been able to share such a huge part of himself with someone and having found friends that were strangely supportive of his unconventional viewpoints. They ended up arguing over different weapons and combat styles while training, the effectiveness of magic on the battlefield, various tactics from renowned generals from all across the world and what system of ruling would be the most effective. Now considering that Dimitri had grown up in a time where there were essentially no more monarchs except for a few nations, like Almyra, he had been reluctant to share his opinion at first. But he quickly found out that these people either already were able to tell when he wanted to say something or perhaps he was simply that easy to read.</p>
<p>So he had found himself standing in front of his classmates after their boring history lesson had ended and explained the concept of democracy to them, all its strengths and weaknesses included. He talked about voting rights for everyone regardless of status, of equality and a system that, at least in theory, was meant to give a voice to the people. One where not one man or woman held all the power to decide what they thought was best for the nation, but instead a whole bunch of people from all kinds of backgrounds would discuss problems and attempt to find solutions. It had raised eyebrows at first, of course it did, and there had been too many questions about what would happen to the crest system and the faith and the nobility that he had barely been able to answer all of them before it had been time for dinner. But he had seen that the core of that ideology had struck something inside them. Not that it was entirely surprising. If any nation would consider democracy during these times it would be the Leicester Alliance, since they already didn't have a monarchy.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>That had been a few days ago and when he had looked at the calendar to try to understand just what damn month they were actually in, he had noticed that it was almost his birthday. It had both cheered him up and yet filled him with a strange sadness. It would be the first birthday that he wouldn't wake up to his father screaming the lyrics to some old song in the kitchen while he made breakfast for him. The first time that Ingrid wouldn't shoot him a text first thing in the morning, every year with a longer message than the one before. There was no Ashe and no Dedue standing in front of his door, waiting for him so that they would go to school together or do something else. For the first time, he would spend his birthday alone, surrounded only by the new friends he had made. It was a thought that filled him with dread. He didn't like it, he wanted to be back home and do the same silly things that he always did on his birthday. But that was no longer a possibility and he wasn't sure if it ever would be again.</p>
<p>So he was quite surprised when on the morning of his birthday, he woke up to see a grinning Claude lean over him. "Good morning and happy birthday, dear time traveling prince." The brunets voice was cheeky as he greeted him and it made him chuckle a bit. Though he was a bit unnerved by how easy it apparently was to get into his bedroom unnoticed. Or perhaps that was just another part of Claude that he didn't know. "Good morning and thank you, Prince Khalid." They looked at each other with a serious expression that only lasted for a moment before they both burst out laughing. It felt good to know that even if he wasn't able to be with his father and friends in his time, he still wasn't completely alone. For the first time since he arrived here, he felt like he actually belonged here, like he had a purpose that he had to fulfill. And that was more than he had had back in his own time. It felt good and he would never deny it.</p>
<p>"Well, you better get your behind out of your bed. We wouldn't want you to miss your own birthday party, especially since we all put so much effort into it." That made him raise his eyebrows. They had prepared a birthday party for him? It could end two ways now as far as he knew. Either he would be embarrassed to hell and back, or he would be so touched by their thoughtfulness that he would burst into tears the second he got there. "Alright. Get out of my room then, 'cause I ain't about to show off my body to you." He just had to tease a bit even though he knew that he would most likely come to regret it within the week. Possibly by being forced into the sauna with Claude, but he would deal with that when the moment actually arrived and not a second earlier. Especially not on his birthday where he was already not feeling his best, what with him really wanting to be home at the moment.</p>
<p>"Pfft, fine. Deny me the pleasure of seeing your body. And here I thought we have grown to be friends that share a deep, intimate connection with each other." At this point Dimitri grabbed his pillow and threw it at the brunet who was acting absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention that he was blushing heavily now, the thought of Claude seeing him change out of his clothes being one that had unintended effects on parts of his body that really shouldn't get involved when he was talking to his friend. Alright, so maybe he thought that the Almyran Prince was handsome, but he had already thought that before he knew him, so sue him. Besides he was essentially still a teenager, one can't very well blame him for his hormones going out of control. But he didn't want to make anything awkward by randomly getting a boner that he couldn't very well deal with at this time, so it was probably best to banish the younger man from his room while he changed into something more socially acceptable.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Nothing could have prepared Dimitri for what was waiting for him in the great hall and it wasn't from lack of trying on Claude's part. He just had a few issues trusting some things that came out of the scheming youths mouth because he knew what he in theory was capable of making others believe. It was an advantage from having been born 800 years in the future that he hadn't expected, but it was one he found himself frequently grateful for. Although documents on this time were limited at best and the number of trustworthy sources could be counted on one hand, he had still researched as much about this time as he could. It had been a phase of his when he was 15 and he would deny that he had spent a night locked in a museum because he hadn't noticed how time flew by for as long as he lived.</p>
<p>Everything was decorated in blue tones. "To match the shade of your eyes!" Claude had thrown at him with an unnecessarily flirtatious wink that had made him burst into giggles. If it was anyone except his friend that had winked at him, he might have turned red and tried to hide under a table, but by now these little exchanges were a bit more common. "Alright, I'll have to see if it's even possible to find a green that matches your eyes next year then." He had returned, turning his voice deeper than it usually was. They had both burst out laughing and their classmates had just let out a sigh and shaken their heads as if to tell the others in the room that yes, this was in fact how they usually behaved and no, they wouldn't stop with it even if they were asked nicely. Which was wrong, because if anyone would bother to ask them to stop, he at the very least would do so. Although Dimitri could see why people were concerned that Claude wouldn't.</p>
<p>It felt nice though, to know that these people at least pretended to care enough about him to throw him a birthday party that wasn't in the form of a more formal social event. Like the charity fundraiser galas that his father used to drag him to in the evenings. Although there were some pretty funny stories that came out of them that he intended to share with Claude the next time they couldn't be heard by a room filled with nearly 100 people. Otherwise he might as well stand on a table right this second and shout out that he was in fact a time traveler that had landed here by complete accident. Nope, that was so not going to happen, not while he was sane enough to realize what consequences that could yield. And maybe he was a coward for that, but he cared a little more about his damn life than he did about most of the people at the Monastery. It wasn't a good idea to get involved anyway, considering that he knew when most of them would die. Not exactly the best icebreaker that existed really.</p>
<p>For the next few hours he did manage to smile politely and masterfully dodge answering any questions that went to deeper into his life than 'What's your favorite color?'. It left him exhausted by the time it was only his classmates and him. Even the church staff that had shown up somewhere in between the beginning and now had all already left. The only thing that proved that it wasn't just a party from his friends was the massive pile of letters and the few gifts he had received. He predicted that most of the letters would be formal and short, probably just written to keep up appearances, and that most of these gifts would either relate to the teachings of Seiros, which he would bury somewhere he would never think about them again, or some books on proper etiquette. As if that hadn't been beaten into his head as a child by his extended family. Something told him that they had never quite gotten over the fact that they weren't royalty anymore and this was their way of coping.</p>
<p>The only gifts he was actually looking forward to opening where the ones that belonged to his friends, as well as their letters, because they were bound to be at least a bit more personal. When it drew closer and closer to midnight, he finally excused himself along with Claude who had volunteered to help him get all these things up to his room. "I know it probably was not anything like the birthdays before this one, but I hope you still managed to enjoy yourself at least a little bit. I was starting to worry that you would overwork yourself with all the training you have been doing these past few weeks." Claude's concern was touching and he smiled softly at the younger man. "Thank you Claude. Both for the informal party today, as well as your concern. It's appreciated. And yes, it was quite different, but that made it a valuable experience. I'll tell you all about the ways that I had spent my birthdays before this one tomorrow. For now I'm really tired though. And so my friend, I must bid you Adieu. Until the fates are shining down on our next meeting. Which means, I'll see you at breakfast." Then he went to push Claude out of his room and collapse on his bed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the unexpected birthday party, he felt as though he had grown considerably closer to them all. It had been so nice of them to do that, to try to help him feel like he actually belonged here and was wanted. So he had taken the next week to figure out how he can pay them back for all of it. The only thing that he could reasonably come up with was to cook them something that they had never experienced before. Thankfully he had once bugged Dedue and Ashe to teach him a few of their recipes that they had come up with, although he was nowhere near as good as either of them. But his classmates didn't know that and hopefully they wouldn't find too many faults with the dishes that he was preparing to make. They had to have at least some variety, after all they all had different tastes. It had taken a while to prepare everything, especially since the kitchen staff were very uncertain about letting the heir to the throne of Faerghus cook.</p>
<p>He had simply ignored that and marched straight up to Seteth's office and asked for his permission to go through with his plan, which he was quickly granted. Now he had to remember that there wasn't the same level of trade and technology that existed in his time, so he had gone to the market with a generous allowance that had been sent to him by some Kingdom nobles for his birthday. This was probably not how they had intended for him to spend it, but there was no one who could tell on him. And he would rather do something nice for the people that he cared about rather than spent it on some unnecessary clothes that he would never wear, or a weapon he would never use. It was a simple concept and perhaps many wouldn't understand it, but it had always been the way that he had handled things. Somethings were more important than status, which for him was basically anything really, and materialistic things.</p>
<p>It was still a challenge to find ingredients that he could substitute some of the things that he just knew wouldn't exist yet. Those were mainly thing that couldn't be grown in Fodlan's climate, so they would need to import it. And seeing as refrigeration isn't a thing yet, which had baffled him, how could anyone live without it, he had to think outside the box a bit. Thankfully cooking wasn't some form of exact science and you can create a similar flavor in so many different ways if you only had enough creativity. Now usually he wasn't exactly on the creative side of things. His father said that it was something their family had never quite been known for, except if one wanted to count the fact that they were quite gifted with words if they truly desired to be. The best literary pieces from this time were the different plans of the Savior King that had survived the test of time. The Declaration of the Abolition of the Monarchy was one of these documents that he had intensely studied. In it was written that after his death, Fodlan was to no longer be ruled by a monarch, now or ever again.</p>
<p>Dimitri knew that he technically was still running away from seeing the truth that was so very clearly laid out in front of him, but whether that was because it sounded too unbelievable, or because he didn't have faith in himself, that was something that he couldn't answer no matter how hard he might try. But really, how was one supposed to react when you learn that the King that you had studied intensely, that you had thought yourself some distant relative of, turns out to actually be you but only because you had been thrown across time and space so that you could actually become said King? It was something that gave him more headaches than the entire thing was surely worth it, but it just wouldn't leave him alone. By all accounts the Savior King had been a brilliant fighter and a good tactician, although not to the same degree as King Khalid, and while he would like to think himself as decent on tactics, he still wasn't a very good fighter. It seemed ridiculous to him that he would somehow become good enough to be able to lead one half of the army in a war that would change Fodlan's future forever and yet it seemed to be where he was heading.</p>
<p>Maybe he actually did need to talk with Claude about it. It was dangerous sure, but at the very least he had someone he trusted who he could talk to. Otherwise he would no doubt lose his sanity while these questions and thoughts and theories were floating in his head, keeping him awake at night. They were scheduled for a nightly training session together today, so he would simply bring it up then. By now it didn't matter to him that the walls probably did have ears and that someone had most likely already figured out that they both had secrets that could potentially destroy them if the knowledge was used against them. He just needed the clarity that talking to a friend that knew about his situation could give him and it had already proven to be quite successful, especially when he was talking about his home whenever he missed it too much. And in a way he was revealing information that way too and it would only be a matter of time until Claude, smart and brilliant and radiant as he was, would figure out that he had researched him. He might as well just openly admit it now and get that embarrassment out of the way.</p>
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<p>The dinner that he had cooked for his classmates had been surprisingly popular, something that he hadn't expected but was pleased with regardless of the fact. When Lorenz had asked where he knew these recipes from he had shrugged his shoulders. "Travelers that passed through where I had lived for the most part. They were from all different kind of countries and I have learned to appreciate their food as well as their unique cultures." It had ended with his friends looking a lot like they were rethinking their opinions on foreigners. Hopefully they would leave poor Cyril alone though, it seemed obvious to him that the boy didn't want anything to do with his Almyran heritage. He might not keep it a secret, but that didn't mean that he was happy about it or even that he wanted to talk about the way he had lived before he had somehow found his way to Fodlan and into the care of the archbishop who he seemed to adore with every fiber of his being. It was something that he was still quite curious about himself though, but he knew better than to bother someone who didn't want to talk about his past. It would make him a hypocrite after all.</p>
<p>It had been nice to freely talk about his views of different cultures when he had the excuse that he had learnt all about them from travelers. There was some doubt to be seen in the eyes of his new friends, but he really couldn't blame them for being cautious, no matter how much it made his heart hurt. To be raised in a society where everyone who wasn't born in the same country as you is somehow worth less than anyone else was something that he simply was unable to wrap his head around. Though then again, Dimitri knew that he had grown up very privileged, what with him not only being a Blaiddyd, a still respected family centuries after the monarchy ended, but he also fit what was the norm. He had witnessed first hand how cruel people still could be in the way that people had spoken to and treated Dedue. Thankfully the giant man was a softie through and through, or else Fhirdiad might have had some problems with people getting their noses broken. It had hurt even worse when he had finally learned of the reason why most people still despised those that came from Duscur.</p>
<p>An event called the Tragedy of Duscur, that would have occurred pretty much only a few years prior to the point in time the blonde found himself stuck in. Supposedly it had killed the King, the Queen and the Crown Prince. A terrible event where the people of Duscur had been in disagreement with something that Faerghus had wanted and so they had attacked them. Dedue had sworn up and down that his ancestors were not to blame for anything that had happened that day and he had believed him. It just never sounded right to him. Just days before they had signed an agreement in which the conditions had already been written down. It would have been stupid to sign that with the full knowledge of what was in there, only to then decide that this wasn't actually what they wanted to agree on. Besides, they could have chosen a peaceful talk, surely no one would have denied them that much. Or maybe he was naive and still too stuck in his own time where people tended to get accepted more easily. Not to mention that everyone is scared of starting a war, considering the devastation that had reigned during the last one. Another thing he would ask Claude about.</p>
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<p>Thankfully the late evening was upon them quickly and there wasn't much more time for him to get too lost in his head as he tended to do when things didn't make sense to him. It was hard at times, to remember that he was in an entirely unfamiliar time, one he had only been able to read the bare minimum about and certainly not enough to be able to survive. Sometimes that realization was enough to make Dimitri nervous as he realized that he really had no clue what was considered normal here. Up until now he had been able to survive mostly on pure luck, but how much further would that take him? He couldn't rely on it for the rest of his life, especially not if he couldn't find a way to return back to his own time. So he would need to learn at least the most basic things, even if he didn't agree with most of what he had been able to observe during his stay here. But right now he was the Crown Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and he could make a difference here. That was more than enough to keep him moving forward.</p>
<p>"You look as if you are contemplating whether to put an end to your misery or not, Dimitri. It would be better if you could keep your thoughts quiet until it's safer to think about whatever it is that's making you so anxious." He flinched as he heard Claude's voice and the slight concern in it. He was eternally grateful for his friend who managed to always show up mere moments before Dimitri completely lost himself to his mind. "I know, I know. It isn't as easy as you make it sound though, Khalid. There's a lot of things on my mind and I'm unsure on how to proceed." His own voice sounded so much more mature than it had just months before, like he had seen the horrors of the world, only to come out on top of it all. Which wasn't true, not even remotely. The worst was yet to come and that knowledge was as harsh of a reminder that he was needed here as the racist comments from the soldiers were. But then again, this was what he had always wanted out of his life, a reason to fight, a cause that he could throw his entire being into.</p>
<p>"Do you want to talk about it? We can skip this training session, you're making great process as it is. And you need to consider your emotional health too." He stared at the green eyes that seemed to hold genuine concern, and for just a moment he could fool himself that he could belong here, that he could make a difference alongside Claude. It was a foreign feeling, one that he couldn't very well explain, but in those moments he never felt like he had to go back to his own time, regardless of the fact that he knew that his friends were most likely waiting for him to come back. But other than them, there wasn't much that he would want to go back for, not anymore at least. He didn't want to bother himself with classes, fuck chemistry and art and PE, he never had any interest in following his father in becoming a lawyer, or even Mister Fraldarius in becoming a politician. Sure, here he would be forced to think about politics too, but this was different, here he didn't have to smile and lie through his teeth if he didn't want to. Here he had the chance to make a difference.</p>
<p>"Yes, I think I would quite like that. There are a few things that I wanted to talk to you about anyway." With a slight quirk of his lips he motioned the brunet to follow him so that they could at least talk in semi-privacy in his room. Yes, specifically in his, because it would be a very cold day in hell before he willingly went through the mess of the Almyran Princes mess that he had made in his own quarters. He had nearly passed out the first time he had seen them. He had even been able to hear Ashe screech at the mess. Needless to say that he had felt compelled to fix that while lecturing a very amused looking Claude. But he had no doubt that by now, a few weeks after his cleaning, the room was already back to the state he had first seen it in. With books and notes scattered all across the floor, almost carelessly if it wasn't for the fact that he had been able to see some pattern in there. Everything that held potentially dangerous knowledge, like his chemistry test that he had never gotten back, was covered up by seemingly random notes about mundane things.</p>
<p>But for the next few hours he was busy telling Claude as much about the things that he wanted to talk about, the Declaration and his wish to change Fodlan and the endless stream of questions about proper etiquette, that he was able to forget everything else for that time. Dimitri hadn't even felt the need to mention how much he wanted to return home once in this conversation, which had felt dreadfully unfamiliar and he had been forced to acknowledge something that he really didn't want to. He no longer saw the pressing need for him to return home to his own time, he was much more content to talk politics and strategy and trading routes here with his new friends than he was eager to get back. He didn't even feel anything when he talked about how growing up in Fhirdiad 800 years in the future had been. He could only see the many negatives it seemed, the grey skyscrapers and noises from cars and trains and whatever else felt like making noise. The only times he ever felt anything other than indifference or annoyance was when his friends or father came up, though that didn't happen often. Claude had been able to see right through him when they had first talked like this, had seen how much it had hurt to talk about them. And he was blessed with such an understanding friend, to the point he silently vowed that he wouldn't let anything happen to him if he could.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last few weeks had been a bit hard to wrap his head around if Claude was to be asked of his opinion. Learning about Dimitri's time traveling was certainly exciting, since it was something that he had never heard of before, but it was surprisingly stressful to not try to ask too many questions about what was going to happen. Of course he had little doubt that if he just asked nicely, the blonde would answer him even if he would be a little hesitant. But perhaps there are just some things that they weren't meant to know about. And if he had to take a guess, the future might be one of the few things that, while he was definitely very interested in it, he shouldn't know too much about. After all, he wasn't sure if that would change the future Dimitri came from. And if it did, what consequences it would have. No it was just safer to not ask and instead let the Prince of Faerghus decide what he wanted to tell him.</p>
<p>Although he would admit that the prospect of a future where there were no more borders that were tightly shut was something he hoped he could see during his lifetime. But his dear friend had been set on not talking about the exact timing of when things would happen, only vague enough to place them somewhere not too far of but not necessarily close enough that any of them would still get to see it. Not being able to ask about these things in more detail pained him, more than he was willing to admit even. But he respected his friends choice to not potentially disrupt the very notion of time and space too much by revealing information that they couldn't know about yet. Besides, if a major change in the future were to occur, would that mean that Dimitri might destroy the foundations that are needed for him to be born? That was not a risk he was willing to take.</p>
<p>He did feel the need to talk about the vague notion of what happened with someone though, which lead him to where he was at the moment. Sitting at his desk, writing a letter to his mother about things that were so far beyond their understanding. But it was calming him to know that he was not going to keep this entire dilemma a secret from her. Of course he had gotten explicit permission from Dimitri first, which had earned him a frown and a reminder to not tell her who he was talking about at least please and thank you when he had asked, so he had a clear conscience and was not going behind his friends back. Maybe his mother would even be able to find similar records in Almyra, doubtful as it was, that could help the blonde prince with this entire ordeal that he had to deal with. Or maybe they would at least find a hint of a clue on where they might find something that could help Dimitri return to his own time.</p>
<p>The thought sent a wave of sadness through him. No matter how much he knew that Dimitri didn't belong here, he still didn't want to see him leave. It wasn't a fair thing to think about and he knew it, by the gods did he know it, but he was a selfish man at times and he didn't want to deal with losing a friend like him. Someone who wasn't full of judgement the moment he had heard that Claude was actually from Almyra, but instead seemed to look at him no differently than before. Though he reminded himself that the older man had to be missing his friends and family terribly. He missed his mother and Nadar and even his father and he wasn't separated from them by anything he had no control over. He could easily return to Almyra, to his family, but Dimitri didn't have that choice. It wasn't fair that someone as honest and kind as him had to deal with this mess without being able to talk to his family and friends whenever he wanted to.</p>
<p>Shaking his head, he focused his attention back on the letter he was writing. If Dimitri knew that he was essentially pitying him, he wouldn't be too happy with him. After all, the blonde was always so insistent that everything was fine and that he didn't need the sympathy that came from knowing that he was alone in a different time than his own. If there was one characteristic of his friend that he would need to call his most endearing, it would be his stubbornness. Altough it had also caused him plenty of headaches already, he appreciated the fact that the older man didn't want to seem dependent on anyone. It was the type of thinking that would help him convince the Almyrans that not all people in Fodlan were weak little cowards that needed to be watched around the clock. Although... Dimitri probably wouldn't be around anymore when he finally would be able to start serious peace talks. If everything went well, he would be back home in his own time, safe and unharmed. The thought made him upset, but he didn't want to look too much into why that was the case.</p>
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<p>It wasn't very long before Claude got told what their next mission would be and to say that he was angry about it would be an understatement. People were so judgmental that the second something happened in Duscur that even looked like a rebellion, every available force had to be sent there. In theory he knew why they had gotten this mission. It was so that Dimitri could prove that he was willing to do whatever was necessary to protect his people. But it irked him that the poor people from Duscur, who already faced such scrutiny for the supposed murder of the former King, Queen and Crown Prince of Faerghus when from what his sources had been able to tell him they had nothing to do with it, had to suffer more. He already so wasn't looking forward to telling the blonde prince about it since it seemed obvious to him that he would just explode in anger and possibly refuse the mission. Which in turn would lead to him being questioned and his secret possibly being uncovered.</p>
<p>So instead he chose to tell his friend during their nightly sparring session that had turned into sometimes sparring and sometimes talking about anything and everything that they could think about. "Hey Dimitri, I have to tell you about the next mission. You probably won't like it though." He kept his voice serious to show that for once he wasn't up for joking around. There was too much that was potentially at risk if he wasn't able to stop Dimitri from doing something stupid. The blonde snapped out of whatever memories had taken hold of him while he had run through the usual warm up exercises and his blue eyes landed on his face, clearly showing his confusion. "Alright, thank you for the warning ahead of time. I'll try my best to control my temper." The Crown Prince's voice was the unique mix of dry humor and seriousness that he had gotten to know very well since he had learned of the older mans secret. "There has been something going on in Duscur. A rebellion, they say. A cry for justice is my guess. Do you know about what supposedly was done during the Tragedy of Duscur?"</p>
<p>Claude saw Dimitri tense up, his eyes darkening in anger. He couldn't say who that anger was directed against though. But knowing his friend, he would guess that it wasn't against the people from Duscur, or he would have reacted differently. He had seen it on a few occasions when they were talking about laws against criminals who felt no remorse for what they did. The blonde was very vocal about things that he felt passionate about and this seemed to one of them. But then again, from the pieces he had been able to put together Dimitri had lost someone close to him because of a criminal that until that day he disappeared refused to say that he was at least sorry for what happened. "Claude, we can't let the people of Duscur suffer more. They didn't do anything wrong, they weren't the ones responsible for the murder of the royals. Please, you have to believe me there." There was a small pause after the blonde had startled him out of his thoughts and he saw Dimitri pressing his lips in a firm line, his way of trying to keep his emotions in check. "Besides, I would never be able to look my best friend in the eyes again if I allowed anything to happen. Dedue was from Duscur too, have I told you that already? They treated him like shit for it and he had a really rough time that almost didn't end well."</p>
<p>The implications in that last sentence combined with the older man looking like he was reliving something that had deeply traumatized him sent a shudder through his body. Whatever the people had done had to have been pretty bad. That much was clear from the look on his friends face. Almost involuntarily he stepped closer and pulled the blonde into a hug to at least offer some sort of comfort, even if it probably wouldn't be enough. "Shhh, it's alright Dimitri. We'll think of something that will help us save the innocents from being slaughtered again. Everything will be alright, I promise you." He had to swallow hard afterwards since his mother had taught him never to promise anything that he wasn't sure that he could uphold. But he wanted to find a way, not only for the people of Duscur who evidently didn't deserve such treatment, but also for Dimitri who clung to him as if he was the only source of light in a world that had suddenly been plunged into darkness. It was both heartwarming to see that he was appreciated for who he was by the blonde, but also heartbreaking to see him so lost and upset. This wasn't how he should look, it felt wrong. No, the warm smile that was directed at their classmates' antics and the amusement clear in his eyes was something that fit him better. The passion that burned in his eyes when he talked about politics and the wide smile that formed were what fit him. Not this sadness.</p>
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<p>When he had told his other classmates what their next mission would be the morning after they had been concerned. Of course they had all at least heard of the Tragedy of Duscur but none of them had any real information on it. Not that anyone really did, it was all just based on guesses from some nobles who already didn't like Duscur. Claude had been surprised to see Dimitri with them, the exhaustion still clear in his eyes from a nearly sleepless night, but he was listening. "Duscur is innocent. We can't let them get slaughtered like cattle for something that they didn't even do." He flinched as he heard Dimitri's voice. It was cold, distant and nothing like what they had grown used to. His statement earned him a few confused stares and Ignatz actually had the courage to ask the blonde how he was so sure about this. "I've overheard some nobles talking about getting rid of the King once. When they found out that I had in fact overheard them, they tried to have me killed. And I've stumbled over a diary from someone who was involved in all of it." At least his excuses were reasonable enough, if not exactly without flaws. But their friends believed him, because of course they did, they only knew Dimitri as an honest young man after all.</p>
<p>The next few hours were spent quietly discussing plans on how to act so that they would be able to save as many innocents as possible. There weren't a whole lot of good ideas from anyone though, since they hardly could write a letter asking if they could please stop wanting justice. Not that that would be an option for Dimitri, that much he could see clearly in the blue eyes that were focused on a map. "We will have to fight them it seems. Not only because there is no other safe option, but also because we can't afford to look suspicious to the Kingdom soldiers that will no doubt be there." A small pause during which a cold smile formed on the blondes lips. "Not that they will get back alive. Too unfortunate that they just had to run into a group of well organized bandits after they had already 'won' against the rebels." No one dared to disagree with him, or perhaps no one wanted to disagree. Claude for his part was equally amused and intrigued at how easily Dimitri had taken control and decided on their actions when he wasn't even from the Alliance. It really showed just how much they started to trust this young man that had been thrust into the position of Crown Prince by sheer coincidence.</p>
<p>But it also showed the brunet that the older man would make a great King one day, should he decide to stay here in their time instead of returning to his own. The things the two of them could achieve together... it was like he had found an ally at a time when he had thought that the whole world was against him. This was an opportunity that he had to take, for the future of Fodlan and Almyra. He couldn't allow Dimitri to return, at least not until he was firmly established as King of Almyra and the borders were torn down. Though he did have his other siblings to think about, seeing as they were still ahead of him in the line of succession. If only he could prove his worth to his father somehow, then maybe he would have a chance to become the Crown Prince. But for now he would have to be patient. Perhaps an opportunity for that will present itself sooner rather than later too. Or maybe he could ask Dimitri if he knew something about who would become the next King of Almyra and how they had achieved it. Surely his friend would answer his question, even if he might be unwilling to at first.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dimitri couldn't help but feel like he was getting judged by his classmates while they were trudging through the cold, wet landscape of Faerghus to get to their next mission in Duscur. They had taken his sudden outburst of violence against soldiers of the Kingdom he was supposed to rule one day in their eyes exceptionally well, so he decided that commenting on that small factor simply wasn't worth his time. Instead he focused on trying to figure out in what kind of hellish place they were and how exactly they might be able to take a shortcut to their destination. It was the middle of fucking winter in a country, no, still a Kingdom, that already wasn't known for it's warm and comfortable climate. He was fine, having grown up here even if it was 800 years in the future had made sure that the cold wasn't something that could even remotely bother him anymore. His friends however couldn't claim the same, as was made very evident by the way many of them were shaking.</p>
<p>But as much as he wanted to feel pity for them for their obvious suffering, he couldn't help but think that they might have provoked this. After all, he had been nice enough to tell them to take their warmest clothes and then some with them because they would need it. Winters in Faerghus were famous for being brutal and quite frankly he was already very happy that they weren't trapped in some fucking blizzard that surprised them out of nowhere. Not that that wasn't still something that could happen, as he knew first hand how quickly the weather could change. To not seem like too big of an asshole, he didn't remark on how he told them that this wouldn't be like any slightly chilly weather that they might be used to. Instead he did his best to distract them with stories about his past, fitted so that it wouldn't be obvious that he wasn't from the same time as them of course. He saw the horror in their eyes as he talked about the time that he and Sylvain had gotten caught up in a camping trip and had been surprised by a blizzard.</p>
<p>At that time, the blonde had been scared out of his mind and would very likely have needed some serious therapy if he hadn't had the redhead with him who had managed to stay calm despite their situation looking less than favorable during that time. By the time his father had found them they had been chilled to the bone and both hadn't felt warm for at least a week afterwards, but then they had counted their blessings after hearing that not too far away from where they had planned to go there had been an avalanche. Needless to say that after that incident, they stayed away from any mountains for a while and always took care to at least listen to the weather forecast, as little as it proved to be useful since no one could accurately predict the weather. By some stroke of luck they had avoided ever being caught up in a blizzard again. And thankfully they never had to deal with an avalanche either, or else he might not be so willing to go anywhere near a mountain in this lifetime ever again.</p>
<p>Which brings him back to their current... predicament of not knowing where the fuck they actually are. Sure, he had a general idea of where to go to get to Duscur more efficiently, but he was also fairly certain that there weren't roads along those paths yet. From the useless knowledge he had collected during his history classes the roads he was thinking about wouldn't be built for another four centuries or so. So really he was going to march them straight through rough mountain territory and he couldn't bring himself to feel guilty about that. It brought him a strange amount of sadistic pleasure to see how his classmates struggled with Faerghus' weather conditions when he had warned them quite bluntly that it wasn't going to be very pleasant there at this time of the year. So yeah, sue him but he was enjoying seeing the realization that he was right creeping over their faces. It was a particularly mean thing that didn't fit in line with how he usually would behave, but just for this once he could and would blame it on his nerves. Or lack thereof to be more precise.</p>
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<p>They continued to stumble around the mountain for another two days before Dimitri was finally able to tell how the actual fuck they were going to be able to get to Duscur and to where they had to be in order for their, admittedly very flawed, plan to work as they wanted it to. And now that they were in a part of the world where you don't freeze your toes of without the utmost care put into your choice of clothing, the complaints about the damned weather stopped. Thank the goddess, that he didn't believe in, for that or else he might have actually snapped again. It had already taken him summoning all of his will to not show any signs of how nervous he actually was and he was thankful that he could blame his shaking hands on the cold, or else he might be in some serious trouble explaining himself to nosy classmates.</p>
<p>Although no doubt was in Dimitri's mind that Claude would find the entire situation too hilarious and that alone almost made it worth it in his mind to actually show some of the nervous energy he kept under check at all times. His friend was more tense than he had been since he had told him of his Almyran heritage and something inside him just desperately wanted to offer any amount of comfort that he could, even if the price was making himself look like an absolute idiot. It probably wouldn't be what the brunet man wanted him to do though, so he reigned himself in and kept the carefully placed mask of confidence and indifference up. After everything was said and done and they had both managed to rescue as many of these poor people as possible, as well as kill any and all soldiers from the Kingdom, then he could admit to having felt very nervous, even anxious, about all of this. But right now he needed to be the strong and confident leader that knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it the way he was. Regardless that neither was the case.</p>
<p>They put up their make-shift tents and he went out with Claude to greet whoever was in charge of suppressing the rebellion. It had taken a lot of self control and some subtle shifting from the brunet so that he wouldn't accidentally strangle the man before they had had a chance of finishing what they came here to do. Because if suddenly their captain was to be missing, they would undoubtedly blame the rebels for his disappearance and/or death. That then would spiral into them attacking too early before his friends were even ready to face battle and then they wouldn't be able to save as many as they otherwise would. That didn't stop him from treating the man a bit too coldly for someone who was supposed to rule over these men one day. Oh well, it wasn't like anyone that mattered to him in this time didn't already know of his plan. And that captain wasn't going to survive long enough to tell anyone about his sympathies for Duscur.</p>
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<p>It was in the middle of the night, two days after their arrival, that they were woken up by screams and shouts of anger. At first it took Dimitri a bit to realize just what exactly was happening at that very moment, before he jumped up with a loud curse and put on his light armor that had been provided to him by the church. He would definitely need something better than that at some point in the near future considering that there was a war approaching ever so quickly, but for now it would have to do. When he poked his head out of the tent he was supposed to share with the Almyran Prince, he wasn't all that surprised to see that his classmates were already fighting people from Duscur. No doubt they believed that they were there to help break up the rebellion, which was fair, since they kind of were. A quick glance told him that thankfully no one seemed to be suffering any grave injuries from this battle which was at least a small mercy.</p>
<p>The blonde prince grabbed the steel lance that had been innocently leaning against some crates filled with supplies and threw himself right at two rebels that were clearly aiming to take out Marianne. Yeah, not on his watch, definitely not. It was really more dumb luck and the fact that his crest activated that helped him not get torn apart by the two swords that were aiming for his poorly protected throat. As it was, he was currently looking a bit like someone who tried to lift a weight that clearly wasn't something that they could handle what with him holding the lance like one would a weight bar in front of his throat, keeping the swords from actually separating his head from his body. Then, with no small amount of help from his crest, he pushed them back, accidentally miscalculating just how much stronger it made him, causing them to fly a few feet away and taking two others with them. He spent a few seconds staring in shock at the place that they landed in, mentally apologizing for any injury that that might have caused, before an arrow flying right by his face to hit another rebel in the shoulder brought him back to the present.</p>
<p>When he went to look where that arrow had come from he was only slightly surprised to see Ignatz there, a nervous yet determined expression on his face. He nodded his head in thanks, before trying to locate whoever was in charge of this small assault. Apparently he wasn't the only one with that thought process as he saw familiar brown hair and dark skin dip in and out of his sight as he advanced further into enemy lines. Now some would call that stupid by itself, and they would be right, but his crest was still activated and he was still able to throw these people a few feet away from him with virtually no trouble whatsoever. Maybe that was a poor excuse for charging mindlessly into a group of people that wanted nothing more than to kill you for the genocide of their people, but he had never claimed to be the smartest man alive. Yeas, under different circumstances he might be a bit more careful, but being reckless was some kind of family trait that apparently every Blaiddyd ever had. And he wasn't the exception to the rule in that regard.</p>
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<p>It took a while to locate the leader of the rebellion, but when they did, Claude and him managed to talk him into turning around and keeping low. Not that Dimitri would claim that he had played a large part in this. Instead it was Claude's silver tongue that made all of this even possible in the first place. He was just there to be brutally honest when the opportunity presented itself. And maybe that helped too, especially when he bluntly told them what exactly they had planned to do with the Kingdom soldiers who had been sent here to suppress the rebellion. He wasn't sure if the shock on their faces at the brutal honesty about killing his own soldiers or the clear distrust hurt more. Regardless of which it was, they managed to do what they had wanted to do and the people of Duscur wouldn't suffer another needless slaughter. It felt like for once he hadn't failed Dedue with almost everything he had ever done. </p>
<p>And while he was on the topic of these damned soldiers, that plan had worked nearly flawlessly too. They had traveled with them for a while, before supposedly separating to return to the Monastery. Instead they had taken a short cut and waited in the turf of some bandits that had been terrorizing the Kingdom for a while now. And while he definitely would deal with them some time soon, for now he had managed to strike a bargain with them. They had informed them of the soldiers that were going to pass near their turf and allowed them to freely take their stuff, that had been almost enough to make him vomit but he knew it was necessary, if they were allowed to dress up like them and put the blame on the group. And seeing as those weren't the first soldiers that these people had killed it was a damn near foolproof plan. And it had all worked out to the satisfaction of all parties that were involved. Even if the blonde just knew that he would feel guilty for the next weeks.</p>
<p>And now they were finally back at the Monastery, and Dimitri almost caught himself thinking about it as home which was all kinds of wrong, with no one being any smarter about their involvement. His friends had thankfully been disgusted enough with the soldiers behavior during the surprise attack that they didn't even judge him for the harsh and merciless way of dealing with them. Raphael had even gone so far as to cheerfully say that clearly they didn't deserve to call themselves honorable if they found such enjoyment in killing innocent people that only wanted their home back. And while that too was all kinds of wrong, he couldn't help but find himself agreeing with the lovable giant. Maybe they were both insane for that, but anyone that didn't value another's life as much as they valued their own was scum in his eyes. Under different circumstances he would have had them trialed and put into jail but something told him that that wasn't going to work.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mercedes didn't like keeping secrets from her best friend. It seemed wrong to withhold important information from Annette, but she also knew that it was the only way that everything could go the way it was meant to. They had waited far too long for this day to arrive, for Dimitri to finally face what had been meant to be his destiny. But something had gone wrong and he hadn't been born during the right time. Sothis had been confused and even a bit nervous. Both Khalid and Dimitri would be necessary to finally get rid of the Argathans once and for all. And as the one chosen to be sent to the time where the other half of the plan was in fact alive, she couldn't allow him to return to the world he had grown up in. They needed him to become what he was meant to be from the very beginning, a King to unite Fodlan and usher in a new era of peace and stability. It was partially why she hadn't bothered to get too close to the blonde young man. She was already too aware what sort of hardships he would have to face and knowing that she was one of the people condemning him to suffer through so much wasn't exactly helpful.</p>
<p>But still, keeping Annette from discovering anything useful about his disappearance had been taxing already. Not only on her magic, that was the smaller problem, but also on her conscious. She was actively lying to the girl that hadn't asked too many questions about her past, instead choosing to see her only for who she was. And to know that in a sense she was causing her dear friend such pain by not bringing back someone who should have never been in this time was a heavy burden to bear even on the best of days. And she hadn't had any good days for quite some time now. Nothing had gone according to the plan that they had developed. They didn't have the time to talk to Dimitri, to prepare for what he would have to face. Most importantly, they hadn't had the opportunity to give him a chance to say goodbye to those that he had grown up with and who had been his support for seventeen years of his life. The guilt she would no doubt be feeling for the rest of her life for that was already weighing down her mind heavily. And that was something that could turn very dangerous, very quickly if she didn't get it under control.</p>
<p>For the sake of humanity they had to sacrifice the mental well-being of one man. The choice should have come as easy to Mercedes as any other she had ever had to make in her life before this point in time. And yet she found herself hesitating, the few precious memories she had made with Dimitri overwhelming her with an intensity that she hadn't expected. Seeing Annette and the others working themselves into the ground wasn't helping her case whatsoever. In theory she knew that the only right thing to do was to have the blonde young man stay in the past, in the time he was supposed to be, to fight the war that they simply couldn't win without him. But seeing Lambert Blaiddyd break more with every day that they didn't find anything useful that might give them a hint on what happened, seeing Felix, Sylvain and Ingrid grow more and more desperate to find their oldest friend, seeing Dedue and Ashe clinging to each other in silent support, she found herself questioning their choices for the first time since her mission started. It was dangerous to form friendships when the balance of everything was the price and despite knowing that she had found herself caring too much.</p>
<p>Perhaps, but only perhaps, it was time for her to start making her own choices, to finally break free from the guiding hand of the goddess as all humans are meant to do eventually. She could easily say that she had found the diary, that a dark spell had been placed upon it that she couldn't quite determine what to be. This would be like betraying the one being that had always kept watch over her though and she wasn't sure how to feel about that. On one hand she knew it was necessary for Dimitri to be in the past, to become the Savior King that side by side with King Khalid defeated the Argathans and finally granted peace to Seiros who had been unable to move on after the brutality witnessed at the red canyon. Then again though, she had friends here now who were counting, at least partially, on her to help them get one of their own back. And perhaps that was enough. Maybe it was alright for her to help them, at least a little bit, to be selfish enough to want to salvage the connections she had made. With a determined expression she pulled out the diary and turned to her frantic friend. "Annette, I think I found something!"</p>
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<p>Felix was both relieved and in total despair when Annette called him to tell him that Mercedes had been able to, at least somewhat, figure out what happened to his best friend. There was an uneasy feeling in his chest that whatever they were about to hear come out of the older woman's mouth wasn't going to be good news. Well, besides the fact that they might know just what in the actual hell had caused that idiot to just disappear without any trace. And while he would never admit it out loud, he was scared for the safety of the one friend that he knew he could always count on, regardless of how much he had tried to push him away time and time again. Now it would be his turn to save the blonde and he was determined to not fail. Whatever the cost would be, they would get him back and the blue haired man was going to kick his ass for the stress they had all been feeling for months now. It was the very least that he would deserve after everything they had gone through. Afterwards though, he just might make an exception and hug that dumb man. Just to show his sincerity.</p>
<p>For now though, Sylvain and himself were on their way to the Blaiddyd family home. The red head had been unusually quiet after they had ended the call, the only reaction visible that the news had even reached was a desperate hope that was glimmering in his eyes. They all just wanted this entire shit show to be over and done with and to return back to their routine. Just like it was before all of this happened. He knew better than to hope that everything would ever go back to what they had once considered normal though. Their eyes had been opened to how important Dimitri was to each and every one of them and the small bond of friendship that had once connected the entire group had strengthened considerably with every group call they had, throwing theories around as to what might have happened that fateful day. Undoubtedly the blonde would have a small protection squad formed around him at virtually all times for quite some time after he finally returned to them. They wouldn't let him out of their sights if it wasn't necessary. Just thinking about the security that his godfather would hire for Dimitri made him shudder and wince in sympathy.</p>
<p>But then again, it was the least that he deserved for pulling that stupid disappearing act without so much as leaving note explaining himself. "Stop fretting so much Fe. I can almost hear you ranting at Dimitri." He heard Sylvain mumble as he internally was preparing to monologue at the memories of their childhood friend again. "Shut up Sylvain and don't call me that." Felix knew that his retort was weaker than it usually might have been, but he was desperate and hopeful that maybe they could finally get their friend back. Not that he was going to fool himself into thinking that it was going to be easy or even harmless. While Dimitri usually wasn't the type of person to get himself in trouble on a regular basis, so unlike him or Sylvain, when he did get into trouble, it was more often than not dangerous enough to kill anyone who wasn't half as lucky as they had been. Like Glenn, who had died simply because he had been the unlucky cop to be called to be the backup for the team of newbies. No one had stopped to ask if it was something that could have been prevented. Instead they called him a 'hero' and thought that that would be good enough for the people that had been left behind in the aftermath.</p>
<p>Thankfully it didn't take much longer to reach the Blaiddyd family home or else he might have lost himself in his thoughts completely. Probably not the advisable thing to do when one already isn't the most emotionally stable person in a small car. But then again, he couldn't speak for that since the redhead always carefully avoided talking about how he felt in any given situation. They stepped through the backdoor and found themselves in the living room that was full of pictures and small little trinkets that made it clear that there had once been a happy family living here. Now there was only his godfather, Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd, who had a constant shadow in his own father. It was strange to think about the fact that they had spoken more to each other in the few months of Dimitri's disappearance than they had for years after his older brother had died. They had had conflicting views on the circumstances of his death and that had led to more confrontations than he was willing to admit out loud. He wasn't ashamed to say that he hadn't been the best person to be around in the last few years, consumed by anger as he had been and still was, since it was who he was. But maybe he should at least try to salvage whatever relationship he still had with his old man. But only after they had Dimitri back.</p>
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<p>Dedue had been the first to arrive after Mercedes had called him to confirm that she thought that she may have found something that could help them in locating his closest friend. The past few months had been filled with nothing but trying to find clues, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they might seem, and trying to keep both himself and Ashe at least somewhat sane. While he liked to think that he had been at least somewhat successful, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that he had been able to truly calm either of their frayed nerves for longer than the few hours of sleep that they had needed. School seemed unimportant all of a sudden, so they all had fallen behind on their homework. For now though, he was busying himself in the kitchen, as he was prone to do when he was nervous, while waiting for everyone else to arrive. By his calculations the last person to arrive should be Ingrid. She had gone out of town for a while to visit her family. No doubt it was also to see something familiar that could keep her grounded, He couldn't bring himself to judge her for that considering that he had to fight the urge to go back to Duscur himself.</p>
<p>The dark skinned man was sure that he was needed here more though, just in case there was something very dangerous that they had to attempt in order to save Dimitri. Lost in his own thoughts, he barely noticed how everyone slowly started to trickle in until he felt the familiar hand of Ashe on his shoulder in an obvious attempt to bring him back to reality. It worked flawlessly every time and now wasn't any different as he turned his head to allow a tiny smile to grace his lips. None of them had to go through this alone and he was beyond grateful to see just how many people actually cared for their mutual friend. No one knew what exactly had happened and for all that they could have been concerned Dimitri might have just run away. But these people had known the young man who had saved him good enough to know that this wasn't something he would do. And they had decided to go against direct orders of the police and make their own investigation. It was almost surreal and in some moments he thought that it had to be a dream. If he felt like that already, he didn't even want to think how Mister Blaiddyd felt at seeing all these teenagers with a future ahead of them throw away basically everything just to help find his son.</p>
<p>Dedue and Ashe brought out the small snacks that he had prepared for the past two hours before sitting down and looking expectantly at the college student. Theology if his memory didn't fail him, which it might very well do at this point. "I managed to find a diary that I'm sure didn't belong to Dimitri. It had traces of dark magic on it, very powerful dark magic. Strong enough to rip apart the fabrics of reality if used incorrectly." Mercedes thankfully didn't seem to need any prompting before telling them what she had found. But at the same time, a shudder went through them at the thought of Dimitri being ripped from this reality. Did they even have any chance of saving him if that was the case? "My best bet right now is that someone wanted to pull him away from here, possibly either to another place, or worse, into a completely different time." He didn't miss the guilt that was flashing through her eyes at that. Interesting, there was definitely something more to that. "But if he was let's say in the past, wouldn't that change the current timeline?" Sylvain seemed to be a step ahead of them in some things and it had always surprised, but never more than now.</p>
<p>But Mercedes only shook her head with pursed lips. "Not necessarily, no. We cannot say how time itself works, so we don't know if it's linear or no. But if he is in the past and the present hasn't changed, then there are a few possible explanations." At that she had to take in a deep breath. The silver haired man narrowed his eyes as he looked to the young woman of faith. There was something fundamentally wrong here, he just couldn't put his finger on what. And a quick glance around told him that at least Sylvain seemed to think the same thing, if his dark glare at Mercedes was anything to go by. People often underestimated him it seemed. It was clear that the redhead was a lot smarter than he had let any of them know. "There is the possibility of this being a loop, something that happens again and again without anything changing. Or perhaps nothing changes because Dimitri is where he was always meant to be." That sounded ridiculous and most of them rolled their eyes. Dedue didn't and neither did Sylvain. In fact, the other man's glare just seemed to grow darker.  He definitely suspected something, that much was obvious. "What did you do to Dimitri?" The coldness in Sylvain's voice seemed to surprise everyone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sylvain wasn't one to stay angry at someone, it went against his very nature to be angry and serious unless someone had managed to piss him off royally. And right now Mercedes was a clear contender for the one person that he might actually develop a strong dislike towards based solely on the fact that she had been ready and willing to hurt Dimitri. While they had all worried themselves sick, he had noticed the quiet young woman look away from them whenever they met up in person. If someone were to ask him what had finally tipped him off that something was very wrong with her behavior, he wouldn't be able to pinpoint the exact moment that he had grown suspicious. Perhaps in a way, he had suspected something from the moment they were introduced. Someone who seemingly had no past whatsoever was not something that just casually happened in real life, not without a reason at least. Though when he had brought up his suspicions he really had hoped that he was wrong. In the end they were all friends, right? They all should have been equally devoted to helping find Dimitri and yet one of them seemingly seemed unconcerned about his disappearance. Hopefully, everything would become more clear once they had the entire story though.</p><p>And perhaps thinking too deeply about that while driving to the historic church where the Savior King was crowned isn't the best thing he had ever done in his life. If it was just him then maybe he could excuse it with the fact that he would be only threatening his own life, but currently, he had a bunch of people to look out for as well. None of them had any wish to die in a horrific car accident, of that much he is fairly certain. It was so hard to just stare at the road and keep driving responsibly though, especially now that they were so close to finally finding out just what exactly happened. He had had a guess ever since he had first started looking deeper into the tragic figure that had shaped the beginnings of their country to what it currently was. But time traveling and time loops and destiny were a bit farther away from what was believable by normal people. But then again, no one who bore a crest, minor or major, had the luxury of considering themselves normal anymore. Where once they had been on top of the aristocratic world, they were now barely more than something that was considered 'exotic' and 'unnatural'. There were times where he wanted to punch these types of people in the face, but ultimately they were right. Their crests were all that was left of a time that most would consider gone for good.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Felix noticed that Sylvain drifted off with his thoughts, but by now he knew that there was nothing that he could possibly do that would shake his close friend off of whatever trail of thoughts was haunting him. He had tried, in the beginning, when it was just some infrequent thing, but he quickly had learned that his efforts, while appreciated by the redhead, were essentially useless. So instead of focusing on that, he thought about just what exactly they were going to learn that had Mercedes nervous enough to not want to talk to them. He had gotten the impression that they had tried their best to take everyone seriously and to not judge them during their months of hunting for clues. But then again, it seemed like she knew more about these things than she let anyone know. Including Annette, who probably had it the worst. Her best friend had just willingly lied to her in the full knowledge that she was distressed about the disappearance of another friend. For that, she was taking the news relatively well though. Perhaps she was still sure that the blonde had good reasons to not tell them the truth. The blue-haired man personally liked to be rather skeptical about these things though.</p><p>There were many things that might lead someone to not mention a specific detail about what their past looked like. Feeling ashamed, guilty or angry were just some of the ones that immediately sprung to his mind. Though people that felt the need to keep their past hidden even from those they consider their friends were those that one should always be wary around. It had taken him too long to understand that and as a result, he had been burned many times back when he would still trust people on the belief that they had their reasons to hide something from him. And occasionally that had been true since both his father and his godfather were fairly significant people in Faerghus and even Fodlan as a whole. But usually, those that hadn't wanted to talk were those with a past that was too dark as that they would be able to share it freely, least of all with someone who had connections to those that could get them behind bars. Other times people had tried to befriend him for exactly the fact that he had these connections into a world many wanted to be able to enter. Having a recommendation from either Rodrigue Fraldarius or Lambert Blaiddyd would do a fine enough job of making them appear on people's radar after all.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Ashe wasn't sure why exactly everyone seemed to be haunted by their thoughts, but he felt a bit bad that he wasn't able to do anything that might make them feel more comfortable in their current situation. It had come as a bit of a shock that Mercedes had kept something secret from them, especially since it both concerned Dimitri and it just wasn't her style, but he believed that there had to be a reason. Maybe not a particularly good one, but a reason nonetheless. And what right did he have to pass judgment onto someone when he didn't even know the full story? That would make him a bully, the very thing he had fought against for as long as he could remember. Not that it was a big problem anymore, Dedue was a very good buffer against those that wanted to show their superiority by beating up someone smaller and weaker than them. Dimitri had done the same for him, even when they had first become acquaintanced with each other, but that was simply who he was. Or had been. Whatever tense would be the right one to use in that particular situation. For now he wanted to believe that his friend was still alive and simply lost in another time. But there wasn't any guarantee for that and he logically knew that. It didn't stop him from hoping.</p><p>Stepping into the central church that had served as the place of coronation for the Savior King was a strange feeling. It was certainly a beautiful building, being considered the place of birth of their nation had ensured that it was kept intact, but it also held a strange, eery feeling. Like there had been great suffering and sadness here centuries ago. The silver-haired man usually didn't like to think about ghosts, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder if the spirit of those that had fallen in the war back then were still lingering here, looking for a way to end their endless suffering. It was a sad thought, to think that the heroes that had helped win their independence were burdened with the inability to rest in peace as they deserved. Surely there had to be some sort of way that their souls would be able to rest? Or perhaps he was simply too emotional to be in a place like this. It was a very real possibility that he had been told about multiple times before. He had more empathy than most others, which enabled him to imagine things like feeling the unrest of dead soldiers more easily than others could. On most days he would consider it a gift, but there were those few days where he simply wanted nothing more than to make it disappear. It had brought enough anguish into his life.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Mercedes would never deny that she was feeling incredibly nervous about finally having to reveal the truth about herself to the people she considered friends. In theory, she knew that she was never supposed to care so much for them, they were, harshly put, a means to an end. And yet she found herself caring about their opinions more than she had ever thought possible. A quiet, deep-voiced chuckle from the back of the church pulled her out of her thoughts. A young man with light green hair and equally light green eyes stepped towards them. But instead of the judgment that she had expected, she only saw fond amusement in his eyes. That was the man who had originally been supposed to save the world by fusing with the power of the goddess. But there had been complications and he had never truly received all the power that he had been supposed to get. Only the burden of immortality and the knowledge of millions of futures that had ended in destruction were what kept him sane most of the time. She knew that no one had suffered as much as Byleth Eisner had. He had accepted that he had to lose everything he loved in order to save their world and yet it had all been in vain. Nothing he had been able to do in his, in their, original timeline would have saved it.</p><p>She saw the surprise on everyone's faces and allowed a small smile to slip on her own face. It had always brought forth the most interesting reactions when they got around to telling them of their plan. She lost count of how many times they had had to do this by now. More often than not something would go horribly wrong once they sent Dimitri to the past and they would have to abandon another timeline. It always felt like getting one's heart ripped right out of the chest when it happened. And then they had to watch as the people they had come to know disappeared before their very eyes. She supposed that it was why Byleth, or Sothis, she could never really tell in those moments, always told her to not get too attached. The number of times that she had successfully done that was less than a dozen. Maybe one would even be able to count them on both their hands, but she was not willing to test that particular theory out. But the difficult part was only coming now. Explaining why she had been ready to sacrifice Dimitri was never something that she was prepared for. So she shot a hopeful look at Byleth, hoping against all hope that he would spare her the pain of having to explain everything again.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Byleth knew how much it hurt Mercedes to have to lie to the people she had always and would always consider her friends. When he saw that she was looking at him with hope in her eyes, he could not within good conscience deny her. It wasn't like it would be a big problem for him. "Let us start by me introducing myself and laying down some rules." He waited until he had gotten an affirmative nod from everyone. "My name is Byleth Eisner. I am the host body to the goddess Sothis. This is not the first time that either Mercedes or me will tell this story, so please wait until the end with any questions you might have, alright?" He waited until he saw everyone nod again, although some made confused noises. "In the most brutally honest way, neither Mercedes nor I am from this particular timeline. The process behind that is entirely too complicated for me to explain in a reasonable time, so you will have to trust me. In our original timeline, none of you were born in this time. Instead, you were born before the war of the dawn, which most of you participated in. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd is currently in that time, though we do not carry the burden of fault for it. Instead, our enemies have managed to find a way to recreate the spell we use every time a timeline is lost." Another pause to let the information sink in.</p><p>"As of this timeline, we have seen the world as we know it end close to a million times. During the original timeline, I was supposed to be the one that would save this world by merging with Sothis and gaining access to all of her powers. But something went wrong and everything derailed horribly. Mercedes was the only one who survived the slaughter and the one who had come up with the idea of using alternate timelines to try to right our wrongs. As it stands, Dimitri is needed in what is considered the past for you, to fight alongside King Khalid. Every time we were close to saving the world was when those two worked together, but usually, something horribly would then proceed to happen that leaves one of them dead. So as you see, we would eventually have needed to transport him through time ourselves, although he would have received proper training, an explanation, and time to say his goodbyes. Should he be successful during his time there and the world ends up being saved, I will personally get him back. That is if he even will want to return here after spending all this time in the past. That is outside of my control though and I will not force him to choose either side." There was shocked silence after his long, monotone explanation finally ended. To be honest, he himself was nervous how they would react.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Annette feels a harsh pang of sadness rush through her body as she listened closely to what this Byleth had to say. It was a difficult thing to believe, but it actually made some form of sense when she took the time to think about it. A lot of Mercie's odd behavior could be explained when believing that it was the truth. She looked around and saw either shock or disbelief on the faces of her friends. "Mercie..." She couldn't bring herself to form any words. Nothing she could say was likely to spend much comfort to her best friend. So instead she stood up and pulled her into a hug. "You had to suffer through watching everyone you cared about again and again. I'm sorry that I never saw just how much you were suffering." She felt the taller woman break down in her embrace. Just imagining the pain it must have caused to see the world end regardless of how hard you try to change its fate was enough to leave her with a feeling of hopelessness. It had to take so much strength to continue every time that it happened. "It's alright Mercie. I can't speak for the others, but you're still my best friend. I trust your decisions, they have yet to lead to disaster." In her mind, she silently apologized to Dimitri. She could only imagine how lost he had to feel in a time that was so unlike the one he was born into.</p><p>The redhead then turned to face the host of the goddess. And was that not something that she would think about later? It was fascinating, really. "So... Dimitri is in the past. But wouldn't he possibly be able to change the future to a drastic measure? Perhaps even to the point where he would destroy our present?" She saw the green-haired man contemplate his answer for a bit before he shook his head. "No, I don't think that is possible. From my knowledge, regardless of what decision he makes, those were the decisions he made in the past before. Almost like a time loop." He seemed to think a bit harder on how to better explain it. "It's strange for me as well. The last few times it hadn't been like this. With every timeline, it seems like the rules of time traveling change with it. Which in a way makes sense, since this timeline is nothing like our Original one." It was a difficult thing to wrap her head around. Annette would need to review all of this information once again when she isn't feeling like she had been hit by a truck. The whiplash this revelation had given her was almost bad enough to cause a headache to form behind her eyes. "But Dimitri will survive?" That question came from Lambert and she flinched back a bit. How could she have forgotten that he was here too?</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Dedue felt a bit of pity well up inside him as he heard Mister Blaiddyd's anguished voice. If it was already a terrible revelation to most of them he didn't want to think too much about how the older man must feel. His son had been sent back on some holy mission to save the world. And not only without his knowledge but also without the certainty that he would return back home relatively safe. He saw the man that was hosting a goddess that he used to not believe in nod his head. "He will. Otherwise, this future as it is could not exist. Sadly I cannot tell you exactly what he is doing, but I believe that he will figure it out. Dimitri is a good man through and through. His sense of what's right is what will undoubtedly lead him to victory." What he said made sense to the dark-skinned man. If one was to treat this like a time loop, everything had already been set in place long before any of them were even born. It wasn't a foreign concept to him, some stories back in Duscur told of a man that had done the same thing over and over again as if stuck on a loop that he couldn't escape from. Not quite the same as traveling back in time and being stuck in a time loop that would only loop itself after centuries, but he was already clinging to his last bit of sanity. Thinking too much about this ordeal wouldn't be helpful.</p><p>And at the very least he now had the knowledge that everything would be alright. Even if Dimitri wouldn't return to their time, although he could not think of a reason why he shouldn't want to, he was going to be alive. That was what mattered most to him. If he had to hear that his best friend was doomed to die, he was unsure how he would have reacted to such a claim. He felt a soft hand grab his own hand and looked over to see Ashe smile encouragingly at him. Involuntarily he felt a smile of his own slip on his face. Yes, everything would be alright in the end. With or without Dimitri here, he still had Ashe to keep him grounded. And if the blonde should be happier in the past, with people that can understand what he would go through, then that was enough for him. He had no right to limit someone in any way from choosing their happiness. Dedue wouldn't deny that he was hopeful that he would return, but he would accept his decision if he should choose not to do so. "So Dimitri has to choose between us and the friends that he's going to make in the past?" Ingrid's voice broke him out of his thoughts. It was filled with so much despair that he felt like he might have to vomit. Of course, she would be upset about this revelation. She had lost the man she had loved and now one of her childhood friends.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Ingrid was doing her very best to remain as calm and composed as she could be. And for the most part, she had managed to not show her growing despair at the thought of one of her oldest friends not returning to them. It was selfish, Dimitri's father must feel that much worse than she did and yet he accepted it gracefully, but she wanted to throw a tantrum. It wasn't like her, but she was so done with not knowing enough about what was going on. And here she was, listening to some guy who claimed that he was the host to the goddess talk about how Dimitri was needed in a different time, in a dangerous time, in order to help save the world and that should he choose not to return, none of them would ever see him again. But even more than for herself, her heart ached for Dimitri. It would tear him apart to have to choose between the friends he had here and the friends he had made in the past. She saw Byleth nod at her question out of the corner of her eyes before her vision went blurry. Normally she was not the type of person to cry openly, but these weren't exactly normal circumstances either. "This isn't fair. Dimitri will suffer enough as is, do we really have the right to present him with such a difficult choice? One that would undoubtedly leave him broken in some form?"</p><p>The blonde woman saw the hesitant agreement in the eyes of her friends as well as the despair that thinking about leaving one of theirs with such a difficult decision by himself caused. "Ingrid is right. Perhaps Dimitri would be better off if he never had to make that choice." Sylvain tried to be the voice of reason. When he wasn't being an obnoxious flirt he was actually a very mature, intelligent man. In some capacity, she had always known that he was much more aware of the things that were happening around him than even those who paid close attention to their surroundings. When she looked back at Byleth, she saw a disapproving frown on his face. "And now you wish to make that decision for him?" It was a valid question. But nonetheless, they knew Dimitri better than anyone. Even better than Mercedes and Byleth, regardless of how many different Dimitris they had met. "Yeah, that's what we're saying. I don't care if you fought with another version of him. Or that you saw possibly thousands of other versions of him. We know this Dimitri better than you. He is our friend, not yours. And it would tear him apart to have to choose." Ingrid felt a smile slip on her face as she heard Sylvain become a bit more aggressive in his words. When it came to his friends, he took no shit from no one.</p><p>In the back of her head, she wondered how Mister Blaiddyd could be alright with it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a hard one to edit, not going to lie. It's so important to the story though, that I simply had to take my time to get it as good as I could. I hope everything makes sense in the way that I explained it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last few weeks had been... confusing for the lack of a better description. Ever since they had returned from Duscur, the entire air around their class had changed. They all felt like they were carrying some huge secret with them. And perhaps that was true, in a way at least. Dimitri knew that his friends had mostly agreed with taking out the Kingdom soldiers, but it was always a different thing to actually do it. Maybe he should feel worse about it than he did.</p>
<p>For some reason, he just couldn't though. Whenever he thought about these soldiers, there was a wave of deep anger flowing through his veins. Those were men and women who would have slaughtered people who simply wanted their land back. By all accounts, the people of Duscur had only tried to reclaim what should have been theirs the entire time.</p>
<p>Those were dangerous thoughts to have, he knew that fully well. It was why he was so incredibly grateful for Claude's continued support.</p>
<p>Thinking about the brunet was no longer a safe thing to do for him. Whenever he thought too long about those emerald eyes looking at him with sympathy and worry it would make the blood rush to his face.</p>
<p>Logically he knew that it was simply his childhood crush showing itself more and more as time passed on, but he was starting to get annoyed with himself for turning into a stammering mess whenever it was just the two of them talking. The fact that the Almyran seemed to find great enjoyment in his suffering was not helpful in the slightest.</p>
<p>Mostly because it usually meant that he would start to laugh at his expense. Now, if he was a lesser man he would be offended, but instead, he was mesmerized. Seeing Claude laughing was a pretty rare occurrence, so whenever it happened his heart seemed to melt at the bright sound.</p>
<p>He vehemently refused to think about the fact that he might be falling in love with the charming man. It wasn't like there was any hope for anything serious between them. Not to mention that, should he be right in his assumption about his reason for being here, he had never even heard so much as a rumor about the Savior King and King Khalid being more than friends.</p>
<p>And then there was the guilt that was festering inside him for enabling bandits. Regardless of whether or not the situation had been desperate, it was the wrong thing to do. These were people that terrorized the common folk that he was currently supposed to protect.</p>
<p>He had wasted more than one sleepless night thinking about how they might have handled the situation better. Dimitri hadn't been able to come to a satisfactory conclusion. He had only been named Heir to the throne relatively recently and as such he hadn't gotten the chance to prove himself worthy yet.</p>
<p>Not that that was something he was interested in doing. But for the sake of not fucking up everything he knew, it would probably be better to just play along and see where it would lead him.</p>
<p>He would admit that he was scared though. While there were little accounts of what the war had actually been like, he just couldn't imagine it as anything less than one bloody battle after the other, where both sides just want to claim victory for themselves. It made him uncomfortable to just think about it, let alone the fact that he was having somewhat civil conversations with the woman who would start it all.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the rest of January, no it was called Guardian Moon here, passed in relative quiet. Once February, or rather the Pegasus Moon, arrived, they didn't have a mission for the first time since he came here. It meant that he would be able to train as much as he likes. Because as long as he could help it, there would be no avoidable death from his classmates.</p>
<p>Or at least that was what the original plan had looked like. But then they were suddenly asked to accompany Sir Alois, the captain of the Knights of Seiros, and a woman named Shamir to some port in Leicester territory.</p>
<p>Dimitri had been there when Claude had read the report of supposed Almyran ships landing there and terrorizing the people. He had seen his friend's hands clench as if he couldn't bear the thought of someone shining such a dark light on his people. Not that he blamed him for that thought process if it was what he had been thinking.</p>
<p>It had taken the blonde virtually no time to agree to help out, if only for the hope that the report was wrong.</p>
<p>And this was how he was standing here, in a port in territory he shouldn't be in, squinting at a bunch of ships. That was definitely the sigil of the Almyran navy, but the men manning them looked suspiciously like Fodlani people.</p>
<p>"Claude, I don't think these are Almyran soldiers, but you have better eyes than me. Am I just imagining things that I want to see?", he asked his tense friend.</p>
<p>That brought green eyes to the men on the ships. His answer was clear in the way that his eyes widened. "No, those aren't Almyrans. These are pirates.", was the quiet reply he got. A shudder ran through him at the thought of these men being able to take out battle-hardened soldiers.</p>
<p>In the end, they were just a bunch of teenagers that thought more highly of themselves than they probably should. How much of a chance did they even stand then?</p>
<p>"Well, let's try to keep this as brief as possible. Our mission is to make sure that the enemy can't get inside the town. Don't engage unless it's to defend. If we wear them out one by one, we can't be overwhelmed by their numbers.", his orders to their classmates were clear and understandable.</p>
<p>Usually, Dimitri would never take command away from Khalid, least of all in his own territory, but the younger man seemed to be shaken. A logical reaction when one considered the fact that these men had most likely killed some of his fellow countrymen. And seemingly with no trouble whatsoever, if their numbers are anything to go off of.</p>
<p>But instead of focusing too much on that, or else he risks freaking out himself, he took his position and readied himself for battle. It was finally time to put all that training into good use and protect innocent lives.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Later the blonde wouldn't be able to recall too much from the brunt of the battle, but at that moment he just saw waves and waves of pirates rushing at them. Even with two veteran knights at their back, it was a scary sight.</p>
<p>Somehow though, he managed to keep a calm mind. When a pirate rushed at him, he dodged out of range and used his lance to impale him. There were arrows flying all across the makeshift battlefield and neither side seemed willing to give up. But their smart positioning made it possible for them to fend them off better than they otherwise would.</p>
<p>When he saw Lysithea being a bit overwhelmed, he took off the javelin he had strapped on his back and used his crest to throw it hard enough to make sure the man would be pinned to the wall. It wouldn't kill him, at least not as far as he was aware, but it would sure as hell inconvenience him by not allowing him mobility.</p>
<p>Lorenz and himself teamed up to take care of a small group of pirates that seemed set on setting houses on fire. They made a rather good team, with him being able to keep most of their enemies at bay and Lorenz being able to set them on fire or impale them on his own lance.</p>
<p>He only allowed himself a quick glance towards Claude, needing the reassurance that he was fine despite it all. The brunet seemed to have caught himself again and was decimating the enemy lines with precise shots.</p>
<p>If this was any other place than a battlefield and they weren't in mortal danger, he would admire how graceful his friend looked while aiming.</p>
<p>And those were not thoughts he should have right now.  There might be nothing he could do against them while he was living through his day normally, but at least when they were on a mission he shouldn't allow himself to get distracted that easily.</p>
<p>Due to his quick course of thinking about things and why he shouldn't think about them, he didn't notice the pirate that had almost split him in half until he heard him scream.</p>
<p>He quickly turned around and saw Hilda pulling out her ax. When had she even gotten here? Dimitri silently cursed himself for not paying attention. This could have ended very badly if the pink-haired girl hadn't shown up.</p>
<p>"Thanks, Hilda.", he said before throwing himself back into the battle. He didn't have the luxury of looking out for Claude to make sure he's fine. Not that the brunette was likely to even need his help in the first place. Between them, he was definitely the more experienced fighter.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>The rest of the battle thankfully passed with no other close encounters with death. There were prisoners taken after the rest of the group had surrendered. Two monks from a nearby church were helping Marianne with taking care of everyone's injuries.</p>
<p>There thankfully weren't too many of them. Leonie had the worst of it. A somewhat deep gash was visible along her left leg. According to her, she hadn't been able to dodge a handaxe in time. Seemed a bit suspicious to him, since he didn't think that these men would throw them somewhere where it wouldn't kill, but he didn't say anything.</p>
<p>Raphael had sprained knuckles because the big guy decided that, even after his gauntlets had somehow broken, he could still knock some sense into the enemy.</p>
<p>Lysithea and Ignatz both only had small cuts from arrows that flew too close. They seemed to be doing fine. And that was a big relief since neither of them could probably withstand a larger injury quite as well.</p>
<p>Lorenz had a broken toe from the brick that one pirate had thrown at them. Out of all the injuries they had sustained, that would probably the one they would all be able to laugh about in a month or so.</p>
<p>Hilda was perfectly fine, just complaining about the amount of blood that was staining her clothes. Marianne seemed a bit scared and exhausted, but otherwise, she didn't appear to be hurt. Which was good, because she had been placed at the safest possible spot.<br/>
Khalid had some smaller injuries and probably a headache from when he was shoved against a wall. If that bastard hadn't already been dead, the blonde might have lost his mind and gone a bit berserk. Emotions were annoying to deal with and denying them was even worse, he was learning that the hard way.</p>
<p>As for Dimitri himself, he had had an arrow lodged inside his shoulder. Adrenaline really was a fighters best friend, since he hadn't noticed it until it was pointed out by a monk. At least he hadn't felt pain.</p>
<p>Though the murderous expression on Claude's face had been enough for him to turn around. There was no need for his friend to see how the blood rushed to his face simply because he seemed concerned for his life. It's what friends did when they were injured after all.</p>
<p>The knights seemed fine too, though he would admit to not caring too much about them. Sir Alois was certainly a cheerful man, but a bit too much with his jokes. They weren't even good ones like Sylvain always used to tell. Shamir was mostly being a snarky asshole. And while others seemed to be genuinely afraid of her, Dimitri had dealt with Felix for almost eighteen years of his life. So he had grown a bit immune to snarky remarks, which only seemed to irritate the woman more. It was actually a bit funny.</p>
<p>Thankfully they were currently preparing their trip back to the Monastery. He couldn't wait to finally be back and do some light research on the current affairs of the Kingdom he was supposed to lead one day. No use in being completely unprepared for the task, especially if he couldn't figure out a way back home.</p>
<p>Home... that was an odd thought. Logically he knew what 'home' was supposed to be Fhiridiad 800 years in the future. It was where he had grown up, where had met his dear friends, where his father and godfather were probably going insane, where he had lost so much. It no longer felt right to call it his home though.</p>
<p>Getting attached to the people in this time was dangerous, he had known that from the beginning. And yet here he was, surrounded by his friends who had almost become another family to him. Not to mention that he really couldn't deny it any longer, he was slowly but surely falling in love with none other than Claude. His life was really a sad attempt at comedy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Claude would never admit it, but he had been sulking ever since they returned from their unplanned trip to deal with some pirates. It had hurt more than he had thought it would, to hear his fellow countrymen be accused of raiding the city. Not that he was saying that it hadn't been likely for them to do something.</p><p>But still, the fact that even after the pirates confessed some people from the church refused to believe them stung. Through it all, he had to keep himself in check to not lash out.</p><p>It was hard to remember that not everyone was as open-minded as Dimitri. The blonde had been right beside him, not saying much because he knew that it wasn't what he needed. He had only needed someone who believed him, who didn't look at Almyrans and other foreigners with hate and distrust.</p><p>It was a bit ironic though, for him to rely on a man that was still adjusting to living in a different time. </p><p>He wanted to feel guilty for needing his friend's reassurance when he himself wasn't in the best position, but he just couldn't. Not when his presence had become such a comfort to him.</p><p>Not that it mattered too much, since Dimitri was obviously busy, or at least pretended to be so. He was avoiding him as best as he could and it stung. There was no reason to do so unless the older man had something serious to hide. Which seemed to be the case, but from what he was able to tell it was nothing that would hurt him.</p><p>But then again, he had some idea what it was that his dear friend was trying to hide from him. And in a way, it was adorable, at least in his not-so-humble opinion.</p><p>However amusing it was for him to watch the blonde stutter and flush a bright red whenever they were alone and standing relatively close, whether that be because they were training or just to talk, it didn't solve the problem.</p><p>It was great comfort though, and he had endured endless teasing from Hilda for seemingly always sticking close to the prince.</p><p>Not that he minded, Hilda was one of the first friends he had made when he came to Fodlan. And sometimes he even got the feeling that she might suspect that he wasn't quite what he appeared to be. Maybe he should confront her about it.</p><p>She wasn't the only one who had noticed Dimitri and his' close friendship. Leonie made some comments that would most of the Alliance Lords flush a bright red with anger. It only served to make him laugh though since he was used to much worse.</p><p>Ignatz and Raphael seemed genuinely happy for whatever bond the two shared. Of course, neither of them was sure what that bond was, but it felt good that they accepted it anyway. He had silently vowed to himself that he would do his very best to keep them safe, no matter what should happen. The world would surely feel the loss of such bright souls if they should perish.</p><p>Lysithea had only smirked at him, not deigning the entire situation worthy of a comment. But, as always, she seemed to know more than she let on. A scary thought.</p><p>Lorenz was probably the most split of them all. He seemed to approve of their friendship, as it would strengthen political ties to Faerghus, but the thought that there might be more between them seemed to make them uncomfortable. Not that there was more than friendship, at least not at this point in time. Maybe in the future, that would change.</p><p>Marianne though seemed strangely sad. Claude knew that she and Dimitri were close, brought together by their love for horses.</p><p>As for Khalid himself, well, he wasn't sure how he felt. No, that wasn't right either. He knew fully well what he felt, but what he didn't know was if he should act on his emotions.</p><p>There were as many arguments for and against it and it was driving him insane.</p><p>The letter he had received from his mother was a small consolidation. She seemed genuinely intrigued about Dimitri but hadn't asked him to write more details. Which was appreciated, because he would have to go against his friends back to do so.</p><p>Instead, she wrote about his father, how he had put down another attempt to overthrow him. Nothing unusual these days. Almyrans didn't like it when one man was able to hold the throne for a long time. It was won on strength after all, and someone who constantly ruled from the comfort of a palace had to grow weaker eventually. Well, they now knew that his old man was still quite fit.</p><p>She also told him about his half-siblings. Or more precisely about how the oldest of them had run away during battle and brought shame over himself since they weren't even close to losing the battle.</p><p>This was surprising but very welcome. Running away, or a strategic retreat as Nader called it, was only an option when it would save you from certain defeat.</p><p>It would change a lot regarding the succession. Well, at least for the rest of them. It was unlikely that his father would allow his half brother a shot at the throne now. He had proven that he couldn't handle the pressure that would come with ruling Almyra.</p><p>It was a light of hope for him. If his oldest sibling lost the favor of their father, then his chances of being the one to rule after the old man grew marginally.</p><p>With that satisfying though he went to his room to write his mother again. And if he slipped some details about his confusing relationship with Dimitri, well no one needed to know about it.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>When they were told that the three future rulers would go on a mission with only the three of them and some knights, he felt a sense of dread flood him. There was something that felt strange about that and a quick glance at his friend showed that he seemed uneasy about it too. Whether that was because he actually knew what was going to happen or because he felt that something was going to happen, he wasn't sure.</p><p>"Something doesn't seem right. The princess was entirely too calm.", he whispered to Dimitri when they were leaving the audience hall.</p><p>A tense nod was all the answer he got for a while. It seemed that the prince of Faerghus wasn't a big fan of Adrestia's future ruler. There was no other way to explain why he tensed up so much when they learned that it would only be the three of them.</p><p>He got an apologetic smile a minute later. "I'm sorry Claude, but I can't tell you. If I did, then I would probably change something.", his friend said with a heavy sigh.</p><p>Khalid squinted his eyes as he looked at the young man that bore such a heavy burden. Keeping the future he came from a secret had to be difficult. It made his heart clench with the thought that someone he cared so deeply about had to bear that burden alone.</p><p>"Well, telling me about the future at all should have caused massive changes already. Maybe it's up to you to decide what you want to tell me.", Claude said quietly, making sure that no one would overhear them.</p><p>A sigh and a nod were his answer. And so he dragged Dimitri off to a place where he was certain no one would overhear them.</p><p>He wasn't prepared for what he heard. To be honest, it was not like anyone could ever be prepared to hear that someone they thought was a decent person would actually throw the entire continent in disarray by starting a war.</p><p>The information only came hesitantly and with a lot of probing on his part. Now he understood why the blonde didn't want to tell him.</p><p>The knowledge that they were supposed to just let it happen was too much.</p><p>But still, he kept his mouth shut when they went back to the others. This was said in confidence and he wouldn't betray his friend's trust like that. That didn't mean that he wouldn't start planning for the eventual war though.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Cursed with the knowledge he had now, Claude was entirely too uncomfortable with the thought of going anywhere with just the Adrestian Princess and Dimitri. He wasn't even sure why, but he worried for his friend. He seemed so shaken.</p><p>His worst nightmare came true too. They were attacked in the middle of the night by a group of bandits that had lured the knights away with a fire.</p><p>There was no way that they were winning this battle, so he chose to start running. There was a little village nearby, Remire. Apparently, it was the favorite spot for a group of mercenaries. That group just so happened to encompass the Ashen Demon. Rumor has it that he was one of the strongest fighters in all of Fodlan.</p><p>While running away, he once again noted that Edelgard seemed entirely too calm for this situation. He had an idea why, of course, but if that was true, then she was even more despicable than he thought.</p><p>Thankfully it didn't take long until they reached Remire. And the rumors appeared to be true too. There was a group of mercenaries here and due to the fact that the bandits had resorted to attacking the innocent villagers, they were even eager to fight.</p><p>In the end, he couldn't focus on the battle at all. He vaguely registered that Dimitri had been hurt, a cut to his leg that looked rather painful, but other than that he was too lost in his thoughts. It would have been a great opportunity to study the fighting style of the Ashen Demon, but he couldn't find it in himself to do it.</p><p>No, the fact that no one seemed to be less bothered by this entire thing, including almost being killed by the head honcho, than Edelgard made him suspicious.</p><p>There was something very wrong about this entire incident. Even as he tried to charm the mercenary to help the Alliance he wasn't fully there. Thankfully though, it seemed his friend had been able to do just that. Good, Faerghus could use a capable fighter.</p><p>He tried to ignore the cut that the blonde had received, feeling anger bubbling inside him at the sight, and instead focused on trying to figure out the silver-haired princess.</p><p>She seemed as neutral and friendly as ever though. So either she was just that used to assassination attempts, which he highly doubted, or she had something to do with what happened. Based on what Dimitri had told him, Claude suspected that it was the latter rather than the former.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The way back to the Monastery was thankfully filled with enough chatter to keep him out of his thoughts. Sir Alois, the knight they had accompanied to the port, seemed ecstatic. Something about the former captain of the knights returning?</p><p>He would admit that he wasn't listening. And apparently, Dimitri had noticed that too, if the worried look he shot him was any indication.</p><p>His heart beat faster at the thought that the prince was worried about him. Of course, he had received an onslaught of information that he shouldn't posses, but perhaps he should try to seem a bit more like his usual self.</p><p>"Khalid, I'm sorry. I never should have told you about what will happen.", came the quiet apology from the blonde.</p><p>Hearing his actual name being said with the others calm, guilty voice only made his heart race faster. If this was what was happening to Dimitri every time that they were alone together, then he could understand why he avoided him.</p><p>"No, it's fine Dima. I'm sorry for worrying you. But perhaps we should tell the others the truth.", he suggested carefully. It was a sensitive topic and the decision wasn't his to make.</p><p>The way that his friend tensed told him that maybe he wasn't ready to tell everyone yet. But undoubtedly he would because it could keep them safe.</p><p>Now Claude wasn't arrogant enough to think that he knew everything. Hell, he probably knew not even enough to actually make an informed decision about the time traveler. But he found himself trusting him nonetheless. There was something about him that just seemed trustworthy. And he had done nothing but to prove that he was just that. After all, no one knew about the Almyran Prince yet.</p><p>It only served to make him blush and his heart couldn't catch a break at all with how fast it was still beating. Damn it, he really was smitten already.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, we arrived at the beginning of the game at long last. From here on out, other characters will take over a chapter occasionally. Just to change it up from time to time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hilda wasn't as ignorant as people believed her to be. She liked to play the part of the poor damsel in distress, but really it was only to allow her to observe other people as much as she wanted to.</p>
<p>This was what had allowed her to study Claude von Riegan when he first came to the Alliance. He was Duke Riegan's grandson, there was no doubt about it, but there was a strange air of mystery surrounding him. Almost like he didn't want anyone noticing him.</p>
<p>It had struck her as odd then and it was still something she occasionally pondered. Now though, she knew that he was simply wary.</p>
<p>Whatever life he had lived before coming to Fodlan couldn't have been pleasant. A part of her felt sorry for the boy who laughed without any real joy behind it.</p>
<p>The Officers Academy had been an opportunity for her. Both to get away from her overprotective older brother and to get to know the future Lords and Ladies of the Alliance. There were a lot of nobles that she only knew the very basics about and that simply wasn't acceptable to her. She needed to stay on top of every new information to help Holst as much as she could.</p>
<p>And everything had been quiet, the first month or so. She had gotten a feel for her classmates' personalities and had made her opinions. But then something unexpected happened.</p>
<p>Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. She hadn't been sure what to make of him at first and that had felt like a deja-vu to when she first met Claude. Except that the blonde seemed even warier than her friend when she first met him.</p>
<p>The pink-haired girl hadn't even wasted a breath after hearing the younger man fumble his way around an explanation. She just knew that he was lying.</p>
<p>That was fine though, at least he appeared to feel somewhat guilty. Which in and of itself was a breath of fresh air. So she was overjoyed that he joined their class instead of the Blue Lions, where he technically belonged.</p>
<p>Poor guy wouldn't have been able to lead the class anyway. He seemed completely oblivious to many of the customs in Fodlan, or he only knew them in a different setting.</p>
<p>To many, this would give his story some verification. Hilda knew better though, and so she watched him. It wasn't always easy to do, since Claude seemed to have basically frown attached to the guy within the first month, but she could observe some things.</p>
<p>For one, he seemed nervous around Edelgard. Now it wasn't exactly a secret that the Empire wanted to absorb both Faerghus and Leicester back into its own territory. But Dimitri seemed worried that the future Emperor would start a war over it. Which seemed unlikely, as the power dynamics within the Empire were not exactly favorable for the royal family. It would most likely be a struggle for her to even inherit the throne.</p>
<p>He also seemed increasingly nervous around them, almost as if he wanted to tell them a secret the closer they got. From the knowing looks he and Claude shared, it seemed as if the brunette already knew about it.</p>
<p>It was frustrating to know that there was something that the blonde kept from them. Just as she was starting to consider him a reliable and trustworthy friend.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Professor Byleth had been difficult to adjust to, at least for Hilda. He seemed completely emotionless, like he wasn't quite sure how to function like a normal human being would. That he sometimes just seemed to stand still, as if lost in thought, only managed to creep her out more.</p>
<p>She was just glad that the Professor hadn't taken her to the mock battle. He had wanted to, that much was clear, but she had been genuinely feeling like crap and Dimitri had jumped in for her.</p>
<p>The man that would in the near future rule over Faerghus was an interesting figure. It always surprised her when she noticed something new that seemed off.</p>
<p>So she was marginally surprised when he asked the class to meet after dark, outside the Monastery too, which was so unlike him. It was only days before they would head out to chase the bandits that had come after the three heirs.</p>
<p>Despite the fact that she normally liked to seem less diligent in such things, but if this brought her one step closer to solving the mystery, she was going to show up first.</p>
<p>This allowed her the unique sight of Dimitri leaning against Claude, seemingly nervous beyond words about what he wanted to tell them. It was an achingly familiar picture, one she felt she had seen before. But that was impossible, this was the first time she had seen those two so close.</p>
<p>And yet something inside her seemed to spark to life at the sight. There was a sense of relief that felt both like her own and at the same time not at all. It wasn't the first time she had felt like that and it was starting to bother her.</p>
<p>Regardless, the pink-haired girl watched as everyone slowly came to the meeting place, each with curiosity burning in their eyes.</p>
<p>"Thank you for coming. What I'm about to tell you will sound absolutely insane, but I swear that it's the truth. Please try not to interrupt me, I'll answer any questions afterwards.", her new friend said with an uncertain voice.</p>
<p>Somehow this made her heart clench and a feeling of wrong engulfed her. This man shouldn't be this self-conscious. Where was the self-assured man she had known?</p>
<p>Wait, this wasn't right. Dimitri had never been timid per se, but he definitely had never carried himself with the confidence she thought about.</p>
<p>Something was nagging her to remember a specific detail, but she just couldn't seem to be able to grasp it. It was frustrating and usually, she would try to figure out what exactly it was, but right now she really wanted to listen to the blonde. Perhaps it could even prove helpful with her little episodes of not feeling like herself.</p>
<p>And then she heard the most fantastical story ever. If Dimitri didn't look so absolutely serious, she would have laughed. Only when a piece of paper was handed to her did that urge disappear. It was a test of sort, dated 800 years in the future.</p>
<p>It was a shock, to put it kindly. But there was also something that looked like a painting, Dimitri called it a photograph, that depicted him in a big city with what seemed to be his father and the friends he had eluded to.</p>
<p>When she looked around, she only saw disbelief and shock on their classmates' faces. She felt shocked too, of course she did, but Hilda also felt upset.</p>
<p>Her friend had lost everyone he had ever loved. This couldn't have been easy for him, knowing what would happen to each and every one of them and still getting close to them, befriending them.</p>
<p>It made her emotional, to the point where she wanted to hug him and tell him that everything would be alright, but that was a promise she wasn't sure she could keep.</p>
<p>"Well, this still doesn't change anything for me. You're still the Dimitri we know, idiot.", she said cheerfully. Hopefully, this would be some comfort to the blonde, even if only the tiniest bit.</p>
<p>His small, grateful smile told her that it was very much appreciated. Good, she didn't like seeing her friends upset.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Catching up with bandits on the run was one of the most exhausting things she had ever had to do in her life. Not even physically, no she was completely fine, but more so emotionally. Ignatz had been clumsy enough to get caught in a root when they moved through a forest, so Raphael had carried him until Marianne had managed to heal him.</p>
<p>Claude was elusive as always, chatting freely with Dimitri and looking happier than she had perhaps ever seen him. Apparently, it wasn't only the Prince of Faerghus who had been burdened by keeping the time travel aspect a secret.</p>
<p>Hilda knew that there were things that the brunette hadn't told her. She had been fine with it, everyone was entitled to their secrets after all.</p>
<p>But watching Dimitri and Claude laugh and joke together as if it was the most natural thing in the world brought a pang of jealousy with it. She wanted that trust from her friend as well, but apparently, she hadn't been deemed worthy yet.</p>
<p>Of course, she knew that it was because the blonde had a secret that was at least as big as the one the future Duke was carrying. So in a way she understood why they were so close. It didn't lessen the sting she felt.</p>
<p>Defeating the bandits was almost comically easy. Professor Byleth was a great asset when it came down to it, having been a mercenary his entire life.</p>
<p>Claude and Dimitri were also a great help, leaving her with little to do in the actual battle. Which was fine, she preferred not to work too hard anyway. Besides, this allowed her to make fun of Lorenz for his poor use of magic.</p>
<p>Or at least that's what Lysithea said. And she knew what she was talking about after all. Despite how young she is, she was one of the most skilled mages Hilda had ever met.</p>
<p>Leonie had been greatly discouraged that her beloved Captain Jeralt hadn't been able to come along. Apparently, she had trained under him for quite some time and he was her personal hero. It was almost creepy how much she worshipped the guy.</p>
<p>Ignatz was still so terribly nervous when it came to killing, but he had gotten better. When she had asked him about it a few weeks ago, he only mentioned that Dimitri had told him that he was saving his friends' lives by killing others. Apparently, that had motivated him enough to at least be able to kill when necessary.</p>
<p>Raphael was as cheerful as ever as he tackled one bandit after the other down. He was a big, loveable good and she adored his kind personality. He was also always willing to help her out when she didn't feel like doing something.</p>
<p>Even Marianne had started to open up a bit more. Though she did see the occasional lovestruck gaze she directed at Dimitri. It made her feel almost bad for the poor girl. It was pretty clear that she didn't really stand a chance, not with the way Claude and Dimitri acted around one another.</p>
<p>It was a sad thought, but no one said that the reality they lived in always ended happily.</p>
<p>At the very least, she now had something to tease Claude with. And she would use that to its full advantage.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>"So, you and the lion prince huh?", she asked teasingly once they were back at the Monastery. It was always interesting to see a composed man like Clause flush and stammer his way around some excuse.</p>
<p>"I- What are you talking about, Hilda? Dima and I are just friends.", Claude said while trying to hide the blush that she still could clearly see. Only because she had known him for some time now though, otherwise it would be almost impossible to tell with his dark complexion.</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, for now, you are just friends. But you aren't trying to tell me that you don't want something more, right?", the pink-haired girl couldn't help herself but tease further.</p>
<p>The spluttering she got was enough of an answer for her. And it had the added bonus of making her laugh at her friend's baffled expression.</p>
<p>Then she saw how Claude looked around them, trying to see if anyone was close by that could listen in on their talk. "I've actually been meaning to talk to you, Hilda.", her friend said in a serious voice. Oh god, this was going to be one of those times where her usual joking manner wasn't going to be appreciated.</p>
<p>"I think you already guessed that I'm hiding something right?", she only nodded to let him know that he was indeed right. "Yeah, about that. My mother went to Almyra when she fled from her arranged marriage with Count Gloucester. Married the King of Almyra, my father, and became his third wife. So I'm half Almyran. And a prince, but that isn't actually too important."</p>
<p>This new information left her reeling. She had suspected that he might be part Almyran already. The close proximity to the border allowed her to know that there are more Almyrans living in Fodlan than most would ever guess. But she would have never guessed that Lady Tiana had married the Almyran King.</p>
<p>"That's incredibly dangerous information, Claude. You don't know who might have listened! People in Fodlan aren't very accepting and you know that:", she scolded gently.</p>
<p>To Hilda, it didn't matter that Claude was part Almyran, at least not really. Sure, she was angry that Almyrans were constantly trying to annoy her brother at the locket, but they weren't seriously trying to invade them.</p>
<p>Though there was a surge of warmth at the knowledge that her friend had just shared his most dangerous secret with her. He had deemed her trustworthy enough to tell her and that meant more than she had ever thought it might.</p>
<p>"I'll keep your damn secret for now, but only because I know that you already have some sort of plan to deal with that.", she said before heading to her room.</p>
<p>It was time to write to her brother. Perhaps he had some books on Almyra, since the Monastery library was only filled with books approved by the church and archbishop Rhea.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes, Claude tells Hilda about his true heritage. I understood why he didn't do it in the game, but it still annoyed me. Especially after playing Crimson Flower where she willingly died for him. She's loyal to him to a fault, at least in my eyes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The black eagles were still difficult to describe. On one hand, they all seemed pretty close, but on the other, there was the clear knowledge that one of them was going to be the next Emporer. It was a disconnect between these two sides of Edelgard. As long as she wasn't pissed off, one could fool themselves into thinking that she's just another student.</p>
<p>Linhardt didn't really care either way. He had nothing against the silver-haired young woman, but it just wasn't a subject he was very interested in. Politics were entirely too boring and filled with too much backstabbing.</p>
<p>Not to mention that he had been plagued with nightmares for a while now. Not only were they taking away his precious sleep, they're also quite gruesome. Too much blood was spilled and he didn't understand why he was feeling like he knew how it had come to that.</p>
<p>Caspar hadn't listened to him when he for once tried to tell him. It was upsetting to realize that the man he had thought his best friend didn't care.</p>
<p>Though really, he couldn't blame him. The green-haired man knew that he was prone to say some rather odd things when he was tired. Except that by now he wasn't always tired anymore. It definitely showed in his attendance record in class too. Professor Hanneman had even begun to worry because it was so out of character for him.</p>
<p>So he had been sent to Professor Manuela, who he told about the nightmares he was currently having, but not that the entire thing felt like something he should know.</p>
<p>She had given him a potion that should have ensured that he had some well-deserved rest without any dreams whatsoever. But against all logic, it hadn't worked in the slightest. Which should have never been possible in the first place.</p>
<p>After a while, he started hearing a voice that sounded suspiciously like his own. Except that it sounded older, wearier. It was the voice of someone who had seen too much.</p>
<p>And then the Prince of Faerghus had shown up. That older voice had sounded so relieved when he first saw him, that it had driven him to do some research. There were only so few things that could explain what was happening and most of them were attributed to abilities only the goddess herself had.</p>
<p>Now, he was a man of science and the faith had never really suited him. Or rather, he had only been fond of the things that could be helpful when considering to what extent he wanted to believe.</p>
<p>Due to the current circumstances though, he started to question just what exactly was true and what was made up. It allowed him to notice things that he usually would have slept through.</p>
<p>Like the fact that Edelgard and Hubert were sneaking out more and more often. He had no evidence that the dread he had felt had come from this older version of himself, but he was fairly certain that those weren't his own feelings. Because he simply didn't care enough to be worried about what those two did.</p>
<p>It had all lead to where he was now, in front of Claude von Riegan, asking if he could help out with the next mission they had been assigned to. Some rebellion in the Kingdom that had put the Golden deers at unease.</p>
<p>"Of course you can come. Can I just ask why?", the brunet asked, effectively ripping him out of his thoughts. He managed a weak, uncertain smile before shrugging his shoulders.</p>
<p>"I simply wish to get to know everyone a bit better." There. That wasn't technically a lie, so he could live with that half-truth. He really only wanted to get to know Prince Dimitri, because the older version of himself had reacted so extremely when they first met. But it could be useful to know more about the rest of the Golden Deer as well.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>It was raining and he couldn't see the person walking in front of him. It would have usually been more than enough reason for him to complain, but Linhardt bit his tongue. Everyone else was suffering through those conditions silently as well, so what right did he have to complain about these things.</p>
<p>Though their silence could be of a more sentimental sort. It was obvious that they already cared deeply about the heir to the throne of Faerghus and they were currently in his lands to quell a rebellion.</p>
<p>Admittedly, the rebellion wasn't against the crown but instead the faith, though that really didn't seem to matter. Dimitri certainly seemed to be nervous enough<br/>.<br/>No one could blame him though. He had only recently been named the next ruler over one of the three large territories in Fodlan and to face a rebellion at such a delicate time? It had to feel as if the pressure was all on him now.</p>
<p>He was stationed at the back of the party with Marianne, just in case there would be a fight. Reasonably there shouldn't be, the Knights of Seiros had gone ahead after all. Now only them and Sir Catherine along with a few faces he had seen around somewhere but didn't have a name for were left.</p>
<p>This was honestly how he preferred it too. There was less of a chance to see blood. He had enough of that every time he went to sleep and had to experience another nightmare. It was starting to get to him.</p>
<p>So hopefully no one minded his scream when they were ambushed. It wasn't like he was the only one either, so that made him feel a bit better.</p>
<p>But the realization that a fight was inevitable now was a bit too much for him. He hated fighting more than anything else he had ever had to do. And so he felt like he stepped back and let the older version take control. That was fine, the guy had more experience with things like that anyway.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>He should have anticipated the questions that would come his way after the fighting was finally over. Because for some reason the other Linhardt thought it would be a good idea to throw out spells he shouldn't be capable of pulling off yet.</p>
<p>So he stammered his way around an explanation, only slightly questioning the knowing glint in Hilda's eyes and straight-up ignoring the sympathy from Dimitri, and hope that it would suffice.</p>
<p>No one seemed to really believe him, but they didn't ask any further. How odd, any of his classmates would have kept asking him until he had eventually given in. When he asked Dimitri why no one bothered him with it he received a simply but world-changing revelation: "We know what it feels like to have secrets. Some of us more than others, but we nonetheless respect that some people aren't willing to share theirs."</p>
<p>It had stunned him into being silent for the rest of the journey back. Not one of the people he called friends would have done this.</p>
<p>In retrospect, this might have been the moment where he decided that he was in the wrong house. It didn't matter that the Professor looked scary with his emotionless expression. There were people in the Golden Deer that would understand him, unlike anyone from the Black Eagles.</p>
<p>The request had obviously stunned the archbishop, who had looked to Claude for his opinion on the matter. And Claude, bless his heart, had simply shrugged and said that if he wanted to join their house he was more than welcome to.</p>
<p>Edelgard hadn't taken the news well though, not at all. She had Hubert confront him about it, clearly feeling the need to keep him close. He had no clue where his confidence had come from, but he for once hadn't been unnerved by the scary guard dog of the future emperor. He had made his decision and was going to stick with it. It was about time that he did that anyway.</p>
<p>Caspar had been harder to face. His best friend had been beyond confused, but it wasn't like it had been his fault. Maybe if he had listened to him, this wouldn't have happened. That didn't make it easier to watch his face fall at the realization though.</p>
<p>But there was no more going back, at least not for him. He had chosen to join the Golden Deers. They seemed to at least be willing to listen, and who knows, maybe they could help him understand what was happening. It wasn't very likely, since research in the library had brought up nothing for him, but he could have overlooked something.</p>
<p>An added bonus that he noticed relatively quickly was that the nightmares seemed to grow at least a bit more subdued. Almost as if there was a presence nearby that kept them at bay.</p>
<p>Whatever may be the case, he was incredibly grateful for it. It was the first time he had slept well since joining the Academy and it was sorely needed.</p>
<p>The lessons seemed much more interesting all of a sudden. He had fun attending his classes and arguing about things with the others. It was the first time where he felt like he was accepted, flaws and quirks included.</p>
<p>It was like he was himself, just Linhardt, not the son of Lord Hevring, for the first time in his life. No one was seemingly interested that his father was an influential man in the Adrestian Empire.</p>
<p>It felt nice. Like he had real friends that cared and that was more precious to have than he had ever realized. But then again, he had thought Caspar was a real friend too.</p>
<p>And maybe he was and he just didn't know how to show it properly. This was no longer his problem though. He finally found a place where he felt like he could belong and be happy. They let him talk about his research as much as he wanted and most of them listened attentively. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes, sometimes at least.</p>
<p>And when just a week after he had joined he was told about Dimitri's big secret, he felt even more included. It made him think that in time he too could tell them about his own secret. Just not now, not until he didn't at least have a clue what it was. Let alone evidence.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So that originally wasn't how I planned to do it. But I just love Linhardt so much that I had to put him in now.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everything had moved so fast that Dimitri felt like he couldn't keep up. Between getting a new Professor and having to put out a rebellion, he was getting more and more nightmares. Not that he ever mentioned such to anyone. Well, except Claude, but he doubted that he could hide anything for very long with that man.</p><p>It still made his heart flutter to think about how close they had become. And now with Linhardt in their class, the dynamic had changed quite a bit again. The intelligent young man had given them plenty of things to laugh about in the short time that he had been with them.</p><p>Really, he shouldn't think of these people as his family, but it wasn't like he could control his emotions. He was more sentimental than others, he had always known that.</p><p>When he had explained to his class how Ingrid used to tease him and Felix for it, they all had looked mildly terrified. When he had asked for the reason, Ignatz had carefully said that they didn't want him to leave.</p><p>It had been a harsh blow. He was so at ease here that he didn't feel the want or need to go back to his own time and yet he couldn't stay. This wasn't where he should be.</p><p>In those moments more than anything he wished he could talk to his father. He would have some encouraging words for him and it would make his decision much easier. But he couldn't and now he was dealing with this by himself.</p><p>Of course, everyone was trying their best to help where they could. They encouraged him to think about where he felt more at home and make his decision based on that. But it wasn't that easy, not for him at least.</p><p>He missed his friends and his father and Rodrigue, terribly so even. But he also didn't want to leave the friends he had made here behind.</p><p>So while they were searching for clues as to when and where assassins would try to kill the archbishop, an event he faintly recalled being unsuccessful, he tried to think of ways how he might sway himself one way or another. There were the feelings he had for Claude, but honestly, it could backfire on him.</p><p>It wasn't exactly the most common thing for two men to promise themselves to each other, let alone those of their position. He had no idea how Almyra would view something like that, his knowledge of the culture too shallow.</p><p>But even then, it isn't exactly very likely that they would be incredibly tolerant. Not even in his own time, so he shouldn't expect anything from 800 years in the past.</p><p>It was an upsetting thought, to face reality like that. But no matter what he did, it would affect him. There was no way for him to win this, he would lose something he cared too deeply about. The only question he had to answer himself was with what he could better live. His family and friends from his own time, or the family and love he had found in the past, completely unexpected as it is.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Even after they had figured out what the Western Church was planning and were preparing for the attack, he still didn't have an answer. Dimitri knew that he needed to decide, and soon too.</p><p>His time was running out more with every second that he let pass without making his decision. Not to mention that he had no clue if there was a time limit to when he could safely return. Would he go back to the moment from when he had disappeared? Or would time itself keep moving forward, thus bringing him to a place that wouldn't feel familiar any longer?</p><p>All these questions he had and no answers in sight. He had thought about talking to Professor Byleth about it, but the man actually scared him a bit. He was like a statue, cold, and emotionless.</p><p>Instead, he chose to talk to Lorenz. Mostly because he was already having tea with him when the anxiety hit. It was actually pretty calming to hear the purple-haired man's logic since it made sense. it wasn't any logic he would use himself, but that wasn't helping him anyway. So a new point of view was precisely what he needed.</p><p>And what a point of view Lorenz had. it was like pulling teeth to get a clear opinion out of him. But when he heard that the other man thought he was needed here, he may have cried a bit.</p><p>Mostly because he knew that the future Count Gloucester was right. He was needed here. Faerghus needed someone to rule over it.</p><p>And while he had toyed with the thought of just handing it all to Claude after the war, this didn't seem fair. Let alone like it would be in the interest of the people of Faerghus. And while he was here he had to think about them first, about what they would want.</p><p>Not to mention that he had finally accepted his reality. This was supposed to happen, one way or another. There was no coincidence in the fact that the Savior King was called Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. This was what he had to do, in order to bring some peace to Fodlan.</p><p>The knowledge of this was getting heavier to bear with every passing second. Sometimes he wondered how Claude and even Edelgard did it. It was so much pressure to put on one person.</p><p>Then he remembered that they had been born into this life. They had had years of training and watching family members rule. That was knowledge that he couldn't replace with anything in the world. he might know about politics in his time, but they were quite different from those here.</p><p>Even if he started to learn anything he could now, he feared that he would never be able to catch up to the other two. The rift between them was simply too big.</p><p>He had gone to Professor Byleth with that though. Mostly because he had been uncertain about who else he could speak to about such matters. he wasn't born to be a ruler. The pressure and expectations were too much for him to carry on his own.</p><p>"Look for someone who can help share that burden, or at least take some of your fear.", had been the strange Professors' simple advice.</p><p>So he had resolved to talk to Claude after the assassination attempt was blocked. Well, more like the theft, since no one was actually trying to kill the archbishop. Besides, Lady Rhea was probably more than capable of stopping any who threatened her. She had the disposition of a veteran that had seen too much.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>In the Holy Mausoleum, he first clashed with someone who he knew would haunt his time at the Monastery. The Death Knight was a scary foe to face. None of their attacks had really worked against him.</p><p>Well, almost none. Lysithea had used a spell that she had called Dark Spikes to severely injure the man. How she had gotten access to such a powerful spell was beyond him, but then again, she was probably one of the most skilled people he had ever seen. One of the most dedicated too, now that he thought about it.</p><p>He himself had been tasked with keeping the guy away from their little group. It was difficult and without his crest, he would have never managed to do it. The man or woman who was behind that mask was terrifyingly strong, almost unnatural.</p><p>Though he did have an air of familiarity to him. In certain ways, he reminded him of Mercedes, only that she wasn't a psychopath out to kill his friends. As far as he knew anyway.</p><p>From the shouts he had heard from all around him, it seemed like Linhardt joining their class had really come in handy. Having another healer on the battlefield was always useful, but with their current enemy, it seemed like a blessing. Though he did wonder how the green-haired man was holding up. He didn't like the sight of blood, after all.</p><p>And then the Professor had wielded the Sword of the Creator. A relic that had been lost to time. But legends of its power were still very much being told in his time, so he had no problem believing that his jaw had dropped open.</p><p>He vaguely recalled that some historians had thought that the Sword of the Creator had to have been involved in the war somehow. But to think that he would see it himself was something that he would have never dared to dream of. It was magnificent and absolutely terrifying to behold.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>After that, chaos seemed to erupt. No one knew what to make of the mysterious Professor that bore the Crest of Flames and was able to wield the Sword of the Creator. Lady Rhea seemed oddly pleased about the sudden turn of events though.</p><p>So much so that she had granted the most powerful relic to their Professor. It had him flinching back when he had first heard that from Claude. It was a scary thought to think about what Professor Byleth would now be capable of doing. Because that was something no one could truly know.</p><p>So he pushed his desire to learn more about ruling to the back of his mind. It wasn't nearly as important as slowly easing the Professor into his story. If they had the Sword of the Creator on their side during the war, maybe some casualties could be avoided.</p><p>It was a foolish hope and he knew it. But still, he held onto that small flame and prayed with everything that he would be able to save his friends. He was past the point of caring what was going to happen to him, but he couldn't stomach the thought of any of them lying dead on a battlefield.</p><p>And that's when the nightmares began. Images of seeing everyone he had grown to care about in the most brutal ways possible.</p><p>But the hardest ones to deal with were those where he was helplessly watching as Claude got killed. And every time he tried to stop this madness, he only made it worse. It left him feeling broken when he woke up, often crying for the possibility of something like this ever happening to the man he had fallen for.</p><p>He never could bring himself to talk about it though, the fear of burdening his friends with his troubles too much to think about. And so he carried on and did his best to ignore the nightmares to the best of his ability. Only a few weeks later though, it seemed like they would all come true.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So next we're heading into the DLC. I just hope that I can do it justice. Haven't played it as often as I have the main game, after all.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they had first heard of someone stealing food from the kitchens, they had all scoffed. Who would be foolish enough to steal right in front of the Knights of Seiros? But nonetheless, Claude had volunteered to look into the matter. And since he had decided to do this, it seemed to have convinced Dimitri to come along, Professor Byleth right on his heels. Only the gods knew why Edelgard decided that this issue was worth her time though.</p><p>And so they had spent a week's worth of nights in the shadows of Garreg Mach, looking for any sign that the thief was even real to begin with. Naturally, they didn't exactly have any luck. Would have surprised him otherwise, really.</p><p>But since the food was still disappearing, they were confident that they would be able to find this man or woman soon enough. They were bound to slip up at some point. Not even the most seasoned thief would have a perfect streak. And they were kind of banking on that to be true here as well.</p><p>That Dimitri had been the one to call out how naive their plan was, had surprised him though. The blonde wasn't the type to concern himself with things such as stealth and trickery. Instead, he clearly favored to approach a situation head-on, to face the enemy courageously. Apparently, it was the honorable thing to do.</p><p>When that had been brought up he had only gotten a response that actually hadn't surprised him: "We don't even know if they are our enemy. Maybe they just don't have another choice but to steal." It was clear that he wasn't approving of this by any means, but he tried to at least understand that person's point of view.</p><p>It was this show of compassion for those that didn't have a choice that had finally convinced him that he had made the right decision. Dimitri would help him tear down the walls that separated Fodlan from the rest of the world, no doubt about it.</p><p>So Claude had decided to write his mother again, seeing as she wanted to know how his plans were coming along. It would be a huge relief for her when she read that he was able to fully trust someone. Tiana von Riegan had always been worried about the lack of real friends that her son possessed after all.</p><p>Now he only had to ask Dimitri to actually help him with his plans. Something was stopping him though. It was a fear that almost left him paralyzed. He was scared to get rejected by his dearest friend. He knew that the older man was still struggling with making a choice whether he would stay here or not.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>On the ninth evening where the three of them were out and about, they finally managed to find the place where the thief was escaping to. Well, they hadn't gone in just yet, that would simply be wishing for death. Not one of them was too eager to go down there without back up.</p><p>So it was a blessing in disguise when some of their classmates and Caspar and Bernadetta had come along. With Hilda, Linhardt, Marianne, Caspar, and Bernadetta as the poor souls that had been roped into this little adventure of theirs, they were enough to at least stand a chance against whoever was down there.</p><p>Well, once they were actually down there, it seemed like the tide turned yet again. No one had expected that there would be anyone down there that would be truly dangerous to them, at least not to the extent that it turned out to be the case.</p><p>Four crests that had never been mentioned during their time in the Monastery. It was certainly a reason to question what else wasn't mentioned in the records that the church kept. If they managed to keep these things quiet, one could only imagine what other skeletons they might be hiding.</p><p>Not to mention that the fact that one of them could summon beasts by sighing. It was by far more dangerous than the bandits and rebellions that they had faced until now. Even closing in on the realm of those things being demonic beasts.</p><p>Claude really hoped that it wasn't the case. Demonic beasts weren't something anyone should ever play around with. They were easily capable of demolishing towns if they weren't destroyed as fast as possible. The deaths that were accounted to them each year was a number that was steadily rising. Many civilians were scared to leave their homes.</p><p>And all that was simply because the Church wouldn't give any reasons as to why those beasts roamed the supposedly holy lands. How the people haven't looked through this farce yet was something that he just couldn't understand.</p><p>Though, to be truthful, Dimitri's reaction to these beasts had been the most concerning. Almost as if he had never seen anything like that before. Which would mean that he grew up in a world where these things didn't exist anymore for one reason or another. It made his heart clench to realize just what the blonde had to suffer through while being here.</p><p>The constant Bolting from the flying mage, dear gods above something like that shouldn't be possible underground, was certainly not helping either. The woman had a nasty attitude as well, something that reminded him a lot of Lorenz and his father.</p><p>The brawler was strangely chatty, for someone that threatened to kill them, and generally reminded him a bit of Raphael. And Holst Goneril. That was never a good combination, even on a day when they weren't nearly torn apart by Nosferatu. That had his eyes grow as wide as the dinner plates back in Almyra were. A faith magic-wielding brawler was scary to face.</p><p>And then there was the one that was clearly the leader of the group. And from what he could tell from fighting against the guy, he was a schemer. It was a bit hilarious to witness them trying to outwit each other, even he had to admit that afterwards.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The real shock came when they were asked to help these people out in some matter that seemed to have been bothering them for quite some time now. He could easily admit that he was impressed by how much experience these people clearly had. Those weren't just lowly thieves or bandits, those were people trained to fight. People like his classmates and him. And to hear that they needed help was scary.</p><p>Claude had very nearly cussed out Professor Byleth when he agreed to help out. It wasn't like this was any of their business and they couldn't trust any of them. Least of all this Yuri, he seemed to know entirely too much about every one of them.</p><p>His fear turned out to be valid when the purple-haired man sought him out afterwards. "I know that you're wary of us. That's smart. But if you help us out, I'll keep your secret. And that of your little time traveler friend as well." It had been fine when it was just about him, but once the guy mentioned Dimitri, he couldn't just say no.</p><p>His friend was suffering enough already, so there was no need to add the burden of having his secret exposed to the entire Monastery on top of everything else. So he had clenched his teeth and agreed to help out, as long as their secrets were kept safe.</p><p>Not that he actually believed any word that came out of that snake's mouth. He was a good liar, much like Claude himself was, but that made him obvious to those that were frequently lying themselves. It just wasn't his luck to be meeting someone who had been forced to lie through his teeth for as long as he had been alive.</p><p>Regardless, they had explored Abyss for a while. It had given him the chance to watch another side of Dimitri. He had bought some of the kids that had been running around candy, probably because he had been feeling bad for them.</p><p>The blonde really had a heart of gold, especially when it came to taking care of those that weren't capable of defending themselves. Not that children couldn't be dangerous in their own ways. You didn't have to be strong to poison someone, or to spy on certain people. He would know, he had been taught these things by his mother early on in life.</p><p>It had led him to distrust most people he met. Before meeting Dimitri, Claude wouldn't have considered telling anyone his secret until he could have been certain that they wouldn't be able to betray him later. But now he had told both the blonde and Hilda.</p><p>Maybe he should start to rethink his life if trusting people could come this easily to him. He hadn't known either for too long and yet he had told them his most important secret. Sure, with Dimitri he had gotten one back that was just as important. But Hilda? He had had no solid reason to trust that she wouldn't view him differently and yet he had felt compelled to tell her. Maybe his closest friend was rubbing off on him.</p><p>He really wasn't sure whether he liked the thought of that or not. On one hand, it felt great to know that he was finally able to have real friends. On the other though, he was afraid that he would grow soft. If he couldn't see through schemes anymore, who would protect those closest to him from harm?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dimitri was as giddy about exploring Abyss with its rich history as Claude was. For a few moments, he even wondered if it was because of his friend that he was so excited to learn some of the churches' secrets. But then he shook that thought off soon enough. He was simply curious, this was still a time period he knew so little about.</p><p>Though not all of them were ecstatic to be here. Bernadetta seemed beyond nervous every time Yuri was close, mumbling something about how it couldn't be him because he was dead. It was starting to concern him.</p><p>Linhardt generally would prefer not to be anywhere where trouble could find them easily. And after the little talk, they had with the Ashen Wolves - he still couldn't believe that there was a secret fourth house - it had been obvious that there was going to be trouble. They had agreed to help these people after all.</p><p>Marianne was scared, that much was quite easy to see. He had done his best to be there for her, not wanting her to feel like she had to deal with all of this alone. Maybe it was because he knew the most about her, but he had developed a soft spot for the blue-haired girl. She was one of his closest friends and someone he knew had more potential than she herself knew about.</p><p>Caspar... was a difficult guy to read. He was singularly so simple-minded that it left him in awe, but at the same time, he seemed to be pretty deep in thought lately. Not to mention that he wouldn't meet Linhardt's eyes when they interacted. Something must have happened between the two of them. Maybe he would try to help them sort it out.</p><p>Then there was Hilda. She wasn't too happy about having to fight, but that seemed to matter little to her. She was apparently good friends with the Brawler that used holy magic, Balthus. An odd pair, but they seemed to get along.</p><p>And Khalid, or rather Claude, he really had to stop thinking about his real name lest it slips past his lips without permission one of these days, was eager to find out anything that proved that the church wasn't as spotless as they liked to present themselves. It was a bit worrying at times, but he would gladly help him if it meant keeping that beautiful smile of his, the real one, not the one he used when he wanted to charm people.</p><p>The Professor was probably the only person who didn't have a reaction to anything that was going on. But then again, he never really did. Even when he was handed the Sword of the Creator, he just looked like it was just another average sword.</p><p>The people of Abyss were suspicious at first. Strangers weren't really welcomed in the little sanctuary that they had built for themselves and Dimitri couldn't blame them. it was clear that a lot of them hadn't exactly had an easy life. Some of them were even hunted just because they weren't from Fodlan. It made him sick when he overheard something like this.</p><p>However, he also knew that right now he couldn't change anything. He wasn't yet King of Faerghus and as far as he knew, that wouldn't happen for yet a while. Though there never really was a clear date mentioned of the Savior Kings coronation.</p><p>The only proof of such a thing ever happening in his time were the church where it happened, as there was a picture painted by Ignatz himself later in his life, sadly without a date, and a list of people that had been there. Though most of the names were impossible to identify, Claude von Riegan was the one that was clear to read.</p><p>It was odd that his heart would flutter at the thought of Claude being in attendance for his coronation. It was logical, considering that they were already close friends and, on a more political tone, allies. And yet he couldn't help but feel happy about the simple fact.</p><p>He shook his head to get out of those damned thoughts of his and returned to looking through the books in the library. Here was where the books went that were deemed inappropriate for members of the church and students of the Officers' Academy to read. If there were any records of things not being clean up above, one would find them here.</p><p>This was why he was here, late at night with only a candle to guide him. He wanted to help Claude in any way that he could, so he would look for anything that would make the church suspicious. Or that would disprove their stupid claims.</p><p>He couldn't lose himself in his anger though, so instead, he transformed it into pure determination. There had to be something here that could help them. Maybe even something about Argatha, now that he thought about it. He had too little information about the people, where they came from, and what their means of taking over the world were. These things were important for them to know.</p><p>And that's what he researched then. Until Yuri came in and nearly gave him a heart attack when he snuck up to see what he was reading about. Apparently, he had managed to waste enough time that he had come to find him for their strategy meeting.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Well, perhaps 'strategy meeting' was the wrong word for the gathering they had. They were certainly trying to discuss what to do, but only Yuri and Claude had any valuable ideas as it was. Dimitri felt ashamed that he couldn't contribute to this as much as usual, but he simply hadn't known that Abyss ever existed.</p><p>When he quietly mentioned that to Claude, he had simply gotten a friendly smile and an arm that was thrown around his shoulder. "You don't have to apologize. Let me carry some of the burden too." He would forever deny the blush that had haunted him afterwards.</p><p>And then their little ragtag team had been interrupted by one of Yuri's spies. Little Birds, he called them. He was vaguely reminded of a TV series that had characters using similar names for spies and had to bite his lip so that he wouldn't laugh.</p><p>And then everything went by fast. There were preparations that had to be made in the short time that they had left until the mercenaries would come to try and find whatever the actual fuck they were trying to find in this place. Apparently, not even Yuri knew what exactly that was and was left simmering with rage every time someone mentioned it.</p><p>In a way, he admired the violet-haired man. To be able to lead these people so effortlessly must have been a pretty daunting task at first. But everyone in Abyss trusted him and that much was so obvious to all of them.</p><p>When it came to evacuating the people of Abyss to a safer location, they immediately looked to him to hear where they had to go. And he took charge of the situation so smoothly that it was clear that he had a lot of experience with it. It was certainly a sight to behold, watching one man enrapture a crowd like that.</p><p>But then he remembered that Claude had the same talent for gaining people's trust. He was a natural leader too, meant to take charge of armies and civilians alike. And for just a moment he allowed himself to imagine such a scene. Claude, in full Almyran royalty attire, addressing the crowds in Fodlan as he convinced them that they weren't enemies. That the scriptures had been wrong in condemning people born outside of Fodlan.</p><p>It left him breathless: Dimitri could imagine how easily people would follow his lead and try to learn more about the people they had fought for centuries. It was nothing short of amazing, really.</p><p>He barely managed to return back to his senses in time for the fighting to begin. Honestly, if he couldn't still feel Claude's arm around his shoulder, he would have questioned just how exactly he had gotten into the arena. But with his friend there to guide him, it was clear as a day. He had simply followed him to wherever Claude had wanted him to go.</p><p>It was a scary realization. He would go wherever Claude wanted him to, without a doubt. Dimitri was just that far gone already, that trusting of a man that he technically knew so little about still. And yet he was ready to do anything that was asked of him.</p><p>During the fight, he tried to put a little distance between them. It wasn't good for either of them to get lost in their thoughts while such an important fight was being fought. They were still trying to protect the lives of those that simply weren't capable to do so themselves.</p><p>He threw himself at any enemy that came too close to their magic users. Well, except Balthus but he was a different story altogether. But Marianne and Linhardt wouldn't be able to take many hits before they would have to leave the battlefield.</p><p>Thankfully, it seemed that Caspar was intent on not letting anyone get close to his friend. He was tearing through the enemy as if it meant nothing to him. Only when he saw Edelgard nearby, did he realize that he completely forgot about the Adrestian Princess. How could he allow himself to make such a foolish mistake?</p><p>He nearly cursed himself out right there. And while that would have certainly confused their enemy, it would only lead to Edelgard finding out that he knew what she was planning to do. That wasn't a conversation he ever wanted to have.</p><p>When it seemed that the enemy slowed down a bit, he heard a familiar voice that sent shivers down his back. Why was the Death Knight here? They barely held their own against him last time when they had someone who could actually harm him, so how were they supposed to do it now?</p><p>When he saw the Knight approach Claude though, something in him snapped. He felt his crest flare to life as he ripped a Javelin out of a dead mercenaries hand. He wouldn't need it anyway.</p><p>Then with all the strength that his crest gave him, he threw it at the Death Knight. By some miracle or something, it actually managed to penetrate his armor. One of the few times that his obsession with everything middle ages was proving useful. Every armor, no matter how good, was a bit weaker where the shoulder plates were.</p><p>It was enough to allow others to finish the rest of the fight, which led to the Death Knight seemingly staring at him in disgust, though he couldn't tell with his creepy glowing eyes. Everything that happened afterwards simply flew by his head, the adrenaline and fear of losing Claude still pumping through his body, making him feel numb to anything around him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not going to lie, I struggled with this one. The DLC is pretty hard for me to portray. Especially with the Ashen Wolves. Still, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you next week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was the chapter that I hated the most in the DLC. And sadly, I think that comes through in this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yuri felt a mixture of hatred and disgust as he noticed that Aelfric had returned from whatever stupid Church meeting he had attended now. Lady Rhea was right in not trusting him anymore. Anyone with eyes could see just how obsessed this man was with Sitri Eisner. And the way he talked to the new Professor made him feel a bit uncomfortable. As the child of Jeralt and Sitri, it was no wonder why he was the center of his attention.</p><p>The only thing he could feel grateful for was that he wasn't alone with his dislike. Neither Claude von Riegan nor his blonde crush Prince Dimitri seemed to be entirely at ease with him. Good, it seemed like they would indeed be valuable allies to have in this damned conflict.</p><p>He focused his attention back to what was currently being discussed. "A treasure? Here in Abyss?", Aelfric was good at sounding surprised and he hated it, "No, I don't think... Actually. There is something that I have heard. But it can't be..."</p><p>"If you know anything that could help us solve this mystery, we would be most grateful.", the Adrestian princess said sincerely. He had a bad feeling about her too, but there was no way for him to check why that could be the case. The violet-haired man already had enough on his hands with trying to keep his people safe now.</p><p>He listened to the damned explanation of the myth that there had once been four Apostles who had attempted to resurrect the Goddess herself. Just the idea of bringing someone back from the dead should raise all kinds of warnings.</p><p>Instead of actually listening to that crazy idiot, he watched for the reactions of the people around him. His Wolves seemed strangely fascinated by the story, though there really was no telling if it was because of the legend itself or because it was Aelfric that was telling them about it. They all saw him as a kind and gentle father figure after all.</p><p>Some looked generally interested in what could be behind that tale, while others were seemingly horrified at the mere idea of disturbing someone's final rest. Only three people's reactions were actually of any interest to him though. That new Professor, the Almyran prince, and the next Kind of Faerghus. He would probably have to turn to one of these three when it was finally time. It was important that he chose the right one though.</p><p>Professor Byleth showed no reaction at all and for a second Yuri wondered if the guy could even smile if he tried to. Though even in the short time that they had been here he had been able to observe that he seemed to soften up a bit.</p><p>Which was mainly thanks to Claude von Riegan. The half Almyran was the only one who had managed to keep up with him when it came to scheming in quite some time. He showed a variety of reactions, from mild interest to slight disgust and then to complete disbelief. It was subtle enough that it wasn't likely that anyone noticed though.</p><p>And then there was Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. The blonde seemed to be the only one who openly showed skepticism of what they were told. He was certainly a smart man, just not very good at hiding what he was feeling or thinking about. The fact that he wasn't hanging off of Aelfric's lips though was a good thing. He seemed honest and chivalrous enough to be trustworthy.</p><p>Yuri decided that he would watch the three of them while they went and tried to retrieve that damned chalice for Aelfric. Not that anyone but him knew that the guy wanted to use it to bring back the woman he loved. It sounded crazy even when he just thought about it.</p><p>____________________________________________________________________</p><p>Constance was the one that led them to where it was being hidden. He had absolutely no clue how she did it, but it probably had something to do with her ability to sense magic. Maybe it's because of her crest, though he wasn't too sure about that.</p><p>"Lovely. We're getting ambushed by giant dolls.", Yuri remarked dryly as he saw the giant statues come to life. They were intruders in their eyes and had to be killed. Which really didn't seem like the necessary solution. But then again, these things probably didn't have a clue how to be diplomatic.</p><p>Illusions used as soldiers, was there nothing that the church wouldn't do to keep their dirty secrets actually secret? How the actual heck are they supposed to get that damned chalice now?</p><p>"The one in the middle has some sort of key. Let's kill it first." That was the boy named Caspar if he remembered correctly. Of course, his suggestion was something that Balthus found very appealing. But then again, Balthus would probably agree to almost anything as long as it would give him a good fight.</p><p>"Sure, let's just attack the creepy statues. What could ever go wrong with that brilliant idea?", Claude remarked with his dry sarcasm that sometimes came through. Yuri thought it was entirely inappropriate for their situation, but it wasn't like the other would care much about his opinion. Especially since it got a chuckle out of Dimitri, which seemed to be all that mattered to the brunette.</p><p>He rolled his eyes as he readied himself to cast Healing on one of these two idiots that were charging down to engage the sentient doll. He didn't actually care too much if they got injured for their stupidity, but he was still the leader of the Ashen Wolves. That came with certain responsibilities whether he liked it or not.</p><p>He vaguely heard the rest of their rag-tag team curse, but he never bothered to turn around and see what was going on. Instead, he cast one healing spell on Caspar and then had to draw his sword to keep defending himself from getting stabbed.</p><p>From the noise he could hear where the key-holding statue was, it seemed that most of them had decided to join the fight against it. The realization that their normal attacks weren't exactly effective seemed to elude them all. "Are you alright, Yuri?", Dimitri asked him after he had just thrown his lance through some of the illusionary soldiers that had come damn close to killing him.</p><p>"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for that, by the way. Though I must admit I'm surprised that you didn't join the others." He got a sheepish smile in return. "Physical attacks don't seem to be very effective against them. Besides, I couldn't just leave a friend behind."</p><p>Yuri could actually feel his jaw drop open at that statement. Was this guy for real? They didn't even know each other for any considerable amount of time and yet he already called him a friend? "You are entirely too trusting, Dimitri. If you aren't careful, there will be a day when someone will betray the trust you place in them."</p><p>He felt a bit guilty as he had to think of his own sort of betrayal that he would have to pull through. But he couldn't hesitate, couldn't allow himself to grow soft, or else everyone he has sworn to protect would be killed by Aelfric.</p><p>So in order to distract himself from that reality, he tried to come up with a plan. Discussing these things with Dimitri turned out to be a good idea. He wouldn't be too surprised if a lot of people underestimated just how smart the other man was. He had a different approach than him, sure, but he wasn't unreasonably stubborn.</p><p>It was actually a breath of fresh air to be talking to someone who at least tried to see things from every possible angle. He had only known people to judge him for his supposedly wicked ways.</p><p>_____________________________________________________________________</p><p>Getting the key proved to be surprisingly easy, all things considered. Though Yuri was sure that a large part of it was thanks to the fact that his crest allowed him to temporarily become invisible. It seemed like Dimitri hadn't expected something like that to be his crest's ability, at least if his awed stare was anything to go off of.</p><p>It actually made him feel weirdly validated for the first time in quite a long while. It was rare that people admired any of his abilities, even if it was only his crest. It was nice, something that made him feel like he could belong somewhere after all.</p><p>The struggle to get to the different locks to try them out wasn't half as easy though. Reaching the first one wasn't too much of a problem between the two of them. But considering that it hadn't been the right one, they had had to deal with even more illusionary soldiers showing up.</p><p>It was exhausting and they were both out of breath by the time they finally reached the second lock. When that one turned out to be the wrong one too, he heard some really magnificent curses fly out of the blonde's mouth.</p><p>Not that he could blame him, really. They now had to fight through another wave of illusions and statues to get to the final lock. At least they could be certain that this one would be the right one. Small mercies for sure, but it was better than letting themselves sink into some sort of hopeless state.</p><p>They were badly injured and at the end of their strength by the time that they had managed to finally reach the right lock. Both of them were bleeding enough that it was actually quite worrying and he hoped that one of the others could help them out.</p><p>Only after they had retrieved that damned chalice though since this was still a priority. "We should just leave that damned thing here. Let the mercenaries run against these shitty statues, maybe they'll learn their lessons that way.", Dimitri was grumbling as he unlocked the damn thing.</p><p>_____________________________________________________________________</p><p>Everything afterwards was a bit of a blur, not in small part thanks to his injuries. One moment everything seemed fine, the next there was an earthquake that nearly made them all fall over. Why did they have to deal with absolute shit?</p><p>At least they had the chalice though. It looked like any other damn chalice he had ever seen, but it had reacted to the crests of the Ashen Wolves. That alone was more than enough proof for him that this was actually the thing that Aelfric had told them about. That which would supposedly allow him to bring back Sitri Eisner from the dead.</p><p>That still didn't sit right with him. The poor woman had been dead for what, 20 years now? Any normal person would have fucking moved on with their lives, but Aelfric was too obsessed with his love for her to actually let her rest. It was disgusting and made him feel dirty for helping that prick. Not that he believed that anything would truly be capable of bringing someone back from the dead, at least not without a devastating price.</p><p>His words would fall on deaf ears though, so he had never bothered to actually voice his concerns. Besides, as long as his people were safe he didn't exactly care what one insane man would do. It didn't make him a good person, but it made him a damn good leader.</p><p>Only that apparently their luck was absolutely abandoning them. Because in the next moment they were running from an even bigger creepy statue that wanted to kill them all. This insanity simply wasn't ending, no matter what they did.</p><p>And it was just their luck that even magical attack proved fruitless against that thing. So now they really needed a plan for how they could escape that thing, or else they would all be dead sooner than any of them wanted to be. This was simply the worst thing that could have happened to them, he was certain of that.</p><p>it wasn't even like they could just use some entrance to Abyss. That would put the poor people that couldn't defend themselves at risk. And he wasn't enough of an asshole to condemn the sick, elderly, and children to a horrifying death just so that he could live.</p><p>Really, this entire thing was Aelfric's fault anyway. And he silently vowed that no matter what, he would definitely kill that damned bastard for everything that happened. Risking their lives was one thing, he could vaguely accept that even if he wasn't happy with it.</p><p>Risking the lives of students at the Officers Academy was already treading a fine line between barely acceptable and just plain stupid and reckless. But risking the lives of the people that basically worshipped the ground he walked on? That was absolutely not something that he would accept. To the people of Abyss, Aelfric was a hero. The man that kept them safe. They would be heartbroken if they knew the truth.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, here's a quick little update on this story and how it will continue from now on. I have finally finished the entire story. It took me a while to decide what kind of ending I wanted. So now, I'll tell you that it will indeed have a happy ending. Though I will most likely post the other endings as separate stories since I think I can do some interesting things with the other options I had.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being chased by a giant creepy statue wasn't something that he had thought he would ever get to experience. Claude wasn't even ashamed to say that he was a bit scared of that thing. Not to mention that his legs were starting to hurt a bit.</p><p>As much as he didn't want to admit it, Hapi's idea was probably the only thing that would be able to save them. Just throwing that damned chalice at the thing should at least make it calm down. And in the end, that was the smaller sacrifice to make when faced with their entire group's death or the loss of some old artifact that the church clearly didn't want to be found.</p><p>"We can't allow these things to get too close to Abyss. I worry that the people wouldn't be able to escape their wrath.", Dimitri said with a firm voice. Of course, the blonde would be thinking about the innocent lives first. A small, fond smile tugged at his lips. Hopefully, his precious prince wouldn't change.</p><p>"That's true, but we can't exactly fight these things either, Dimitri. We tried that already, remember?", Hilda stated the obvious fact that their attacks were pretty useless. Claude was honestly surprised that he hadn't heard a complaint from her yet.</p><p>"That's fine. I know a place where we can keep the enemy at bay, but we'll have to run a bit more to reach that:" Had Claude ever mentioned that he didn't like Yuri? There was something off about him and he didn't like not knowing what it was. The man simply screamed of mischief. And he would know since he was pretty much the same. That didn't mean that he had to like the fact.</p><p>"Oh yeah. You're talking about that gate, right? These things are damn sturdy. I nearly broke my fist on it once." If looks could kill, Balthus would probably be dead right at this second. If the gate was their only chance to escape alive, one could only hope that it still worked.</p><p>"If you broke the damn mechanism, I'm sacrificing you to the giant creepy doll behind us.", Yuri threatened with an icy voice. Harsh, but understandable. This could endanger them all.</p><p>"Less useless chatter and more running. We'll find out whether the mechanism works or not when we're there.", Edelgard's voice cut through the argument that would have undoubtedly started in just a few moments. None of them appreciated her tone though. She sounded as if they were her subjects and not her equals.</p><p>Regardless, they continued to run until they reached a giant hall. He heard something about some shortcut being closed, but he was more shocked at the number of illusionary soldiers that were lingering about.</p><p>He wasn't the only one. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw how Caspar stood in front of Linhardt to make sure that his best friend couldn't get hurt unless they killed him first. Edelgard looked disapprovingly at him for a second, before doing the same for Hapi. Balthus nearly ran to Constance when he saw that everyone was out to protect their mages.</p><p>And apparently, even Hilda decided that this was a good idea because she moved to cover Marianne before even Dimitri could make so much as a move. Dimitri meanwhile went over to him and gave him an encouraging smile.</p><p>"Aw, you're here to watch my back Dima?", he asked the blonde teasingly. The only reaction he got was a flushed prince and some incomprehensible stuttering. He tried to ignore the way the sight made his heart flutter since it really wasn't the right time or place to be thinking about anything but trying to survive.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>In the end, they decided against opening the shortcut. It made things a lot harder at first since there were simply so many of these damned illusionary soldiers, but they managed to stay alive. That they had four people who could heal them if it was necessary was probably a big part of why they hadn't been squashed to little pieces just yet.</p><p>Claude cursed as he drew his bow to shoot the illusion that was getting too close to stabbing Hilda in a moment of distraction. He had run out of arrows once already, which had prompted Dimitri to kill an archer and take his arrows. It was weirdly sweet.</p><p>They had reached the first gate already, which was a huge relief. There were still more than enough illusions to fight, so no one could get bored, but at least they were now no longer in danger of being completely swarmed from both sides. Or that was what they all had thought. Then these damned bandits or mercenaries or whatever these idiots were showed up.</p><p>It had been Dimitri's bright idea to lead them to the illusionary soldiers. Let their enemies duke it out between them. It was only slightly surprising when that proved to be a valid strategy. This way, they only had to deal with one enemy that was distracted with another enemy.</p><p>They were all creeping on the edge of exhaustion when they faced down the final wave. Claude wasn't paying for one damn second to check on the others and realized too late that there was someone in front of him.</p><p>The next thing he noticed was that he fell. A slightly taller frame took his place and got the injury that would have undoubtedly killed him. The brunette could do nothing but stare at Dimitri in pure shock as he heard him suck in a deep breath to keep his calm. Then the blonde proceeded to basically rip this illusion apart.</p><p>Everyone was silent for a second as they stared at Dimitri. He was the only one who didn't seem fazed by the fact that he had just taken an injury for Claude that could have been lethal. Almost as if he had been prepared to do that the entire time if necessary.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>They all got back to Abyss mostly unharmed. Mostly, because there was still a big gash on Dimitri's chest. At least it didn't seem to be bleeding anymore. But none of their healers had had the energy to cast a more complicated spell after all the running they had had to do. No one was blaming them for it either.</p><p>In fact, everyone had laughed when Linhardt had complained. "Run through this gate, open another one, run through that one. That's entirely too many gates that will last me a lifetime. I'm seriously in need of a nice, long nap."</p><p>It seemed that they simply weren't allowed to rest though, As soon as they had reached Abyss, they were ambushed by another terrible message. Aelfric had been kidnapped by strange people from the surface. He nearly had lost control of his temper at that very moment. They couldn't expect them to go out and rescue this guy now, do they?</p><p>Claude had protested against it too, and loudly at that. It was fine if most of them were going, he had no problem with that. But after that day, he didn't want to see Dimitri on another battlefield until his injury had healed completely.</p><p>"I'm fine, Claude. It's just a small gash.", he had said with an embarrassed but grateful smile. "Of course I will help you rescue Aelfric. I know how important he is to you and all of Abyss. We can't abandon such a man in his greatest time of need." The people of Abyss looked like they wanted to kiss the ground the blonde was walking on after that.</p><p>He had kept his face carefully neutral though, which told Claude all that he needed to know. He didn't trust this Aelfric. It was a bit odd since Claude himself didn't think that there was anything wrong with the guy, but he trusted Dimitri.</p><p>And apparently, he hadn't been the only one who had seen through the blonde's mask. Yuri seemed to have come to some kind of conclusion. There had been something that had obviously been bothering for a while now, but he seemed more at ease now. Almost like he had finally found someone he could entrust a secret to.</p><p>And that was fair, Dimitri was probably the only person out of their whole group who wouldn't ever give someone's secret away. Not to mention that he was smart enough to figure out complicated things. Not that many people would ever know that.</p><p>Claude saw it in Edelgard's eyes. She clearly thought that Dimitri was some naive, sheltered boy who didn't have a clue how the real world worked. The Adrestian princess would be in for a rude awakening. Sure, Dimitri wasn't one for schemes, that was more Yuri and his territory, but he was a great strategist.</p><p>It reminded him of the only time that he had seen Professor Byleth with a different expression on his face. It was during some boring tactics lesson, one where it was clear that most of the class hadn't been able to understand why the Professor had positioned the troops the way he did.</p><p>Even Dimitri had seemed like he couldn't understand it. That was until he pointed out just how flawed that very specific positioning was. While it was a sound idea on paper, it would simply get your men killed within seconds, he had argued.</p><p>The look of shock on the Professor's face was one he hadn't forgotten. Neither how he had to admit that Dimitri was indeed right. Then the blonde had proceeded to position the troops in a better formation. According to him, it was a pretty big disadvantage that this scenario was based on, not something anyone would or should engage in if at all possible.</p><p>He couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips at the memory. It was one of the few instances where the older man had shown just how bright he really was. Usually, he was a lot more modest and preferred to keep his input to a minimum.</p><p>Honestly, Claude had made it his personal little mission to make sure that Dimitri would show that brilliant spark of his more often. It was a good look on him. Not to mention that the reactions it produced were always hilarious. People were so quick to underestimate someone who seemed to prefer physical strength.</p><p>"Alright then. We'll all go to save Aelfric then. Not like anyone can stop you when you've made up your mind, Dima.", he said as he walked towards their room. The meeting wasn't until tomorrow, so they should all get enough rest. Something unexpected was bound to happen anyway. It always did when they were involved.</p><p>And he really wasn't all that keen on one of them getting hurt again. Dimitri's injury today had been a great reminder that they were all only human. Not to mention that he still felt guilty for being the cause of that damned wound.</p><p>He was out almost as soon as his head hit his pillow. It had been a pretty exhausting day for all of them, regardless of whether they had been injured or not.</p><p>He did wake up again though when he heard the door creak a little. Looking around the room where the male students of their little trip had all been stuffed in, he saw that Dimitri wasn't there. Probably the one that had just left the room. With a sigh he stood up, fully intent on giving his stupid friend a lecture.</p><p>But what he overheard next almost broke his heart into pieces. A conversation between Yuri and Dimitri. How dare that bastard ask Dimitri on a date? He didn't even really know him. He had no idea just how special Dimitri really was, beyond the fact that he had been thrown across time and space.</p><p>And apparently, he didn't know what the word 'no' meant. Since he kept refusing to accept that the blonde declined his invitation. A part of his brain was happy about the fact that Dimitri wasn't interested in Yuri. It meant that he could have a chance.</p><p>But eventually, the soft-hearted idiot agreed to meet Yuri at the mentioned place. But he had made it more than clear that he wasn't interested in him at all. Which apparently was just fine with Yuri. No surprise there, he had what he had wanted after all. A date with Dimitri somewhere where no one could interrupt them. It made his stomach twist into knots.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dimitri had been more than surprised and a bit shocked when Yuri had approached him. Not to mention that he felt like it was a bit awkward for the guy to ask him on a date. But then something in his brain had finally clicked. There had to have been an important reason for him to do that, right?</p><p>So he had reluctantly agreed to meet him at midnight by the Goddess Tower. Which was easier said than done, since the church seemed keen on making sure that no one entered that thing without permission. So it took him a while to figure out how he would even manage to slip by the guards. Setting up a fitting distraction had made him feel a bit guilty that he was technically breaking the rules.</p><p>Not that he could really change that. It was a necessity, even if he would probably not be able to look the guards on duty in the eye for a while. It was probably the biggest proof to him that he wasn't anything like Claude or Yuri. Those two had less of a problem with doing things like this without feeling guilty.</p><p>Which had made him wonder why Yuri had wanted to meet him and not Claude. Surely whatever was happening would be easier solved with two like-minded people? After all, both were incredibly smart schemers. The blonde had more than a few troubles believing that these two wouldn't have been able to figure out a solution for whatever problem had occurred. Not that he was going to ask about it, at least not right now.</p><p>But when he arrived and saw that Yuri looked on the brink of a breakdown, he felt a bit sorry for thinking that he could handle everything that was thrown his way. Clearly, there was something that he couldn't deal with, or else he wouldn't have asked him to help out. So he stood there and listened to his story.</p><p>By the end, his head was hurting and he couldn't quite pinpoint what emotion he was feeling. There was anger, not that Yuri would have to betray them since that is hardly something he can control, and sadness, the fact that some people had to go through so much pain only to end up in the dirt anyway made him sick, and, of course, gratitude, because Yuri had trusted him enough to tell him his life story.</p><p>They tried to make a somewhat cohesive plan. One that would allow Yuri to seem like he was on Aelfric's side while he got everyone else ready to storm the place where they would be held captive. Dimitri had brought up the idea that maybe Yuri shouldn't make it too hard for his friends to escape. A short silence spell for Hapi and Constance and loose bindings for Balthus should be enough. Because from what he could tell from the story, Aelfric was already too focused on his goal to check for things like that.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>He was a nervous wreck when they finally departed to go to where they would seemingly rescue Aelfric, unknowing that he was a traitor to everyone but Yuri and him. Claude seemed to suspect at least something, but if it would suffice that he could sense the betrayal that would happen was something he couldn't tell.</p><p>Regardless, he had to give it to Aelfric. The entire thing was done in a way where no one would suspect a thing. A group of bandits and a few demonic beasts, one of which had swept away Balthus who had only laughed like the maniac that he is, and everything seemed like a typical hostage situation. The bishop even fought alongside them, probably to seem way more trustworthy.</p><p>He was embarrassed to admit it, but while he had fought off one bandit, he had gotten too lost in his own head and had managed to snap the lance he had been holding in half. It had caused Claude to laugh though, so it wasn't all that bad. At least his clumsy nature hadn't caused anyone to get hurt.</p><p>His heart seemed to beat faster and faster the more bandits they were killing. It meant that they were getting closer to the reveal of Yuri's supposed betrayal and Aelfric's true nature. He was a bit scared of the possibility that he might not be able to convince the others that Yuri had a good reason to do what he did. Everything kind of hinges on that, after all.</p><p>So he deviated off of the plan a bit. When they had a moment to cool down, he quickly summarized what had happened to Claude. The brunette seemed surprisingly calm after he had finished telling what he knew, though he could see a strange flicker of relief in his eyes. Had he suspected that something worse was going to happen? He really hoped that it wasn't the case. But now that he knew that he had Claude's support, he felt a bit more confident.</p><p>There was a better chance of them convincing the others together than if he had to do it by himself. He wasn't exactly bad with words, but he lacked the necessary charm to make people believe anything. Khalid had that charisma. In his own time, he would have made for a great salesman. The thought alone almost made him laugh.</p><p>Except that he didn't get the chance to do that. Instead, he asked the Professor if he could have the Chalice to keep it safe. After all, no one could possibly know who else could suddenly attack them just because they had the damn thing. And if it really came down to that, they would surely need him to be able to fight without having to worry about the potentially dangerous artifact he was carrying.</p><p>It was only moments after he had gotten that thing and resisted the urge to see if he could break it, that he heard Aelfric's voice: "Thank you for bringing the Chalice to me. Your help was much appreciated." Everyone whirled around to face him and he could see the disbelief and hurt in the eyes of the Ashen Wolves.</p><p>Then everything seemed to happen entirely too fast as that his brain could keep up with it. Yuri attacked him as planned and he dropped the Chalice. The other three Wolves were knocked unconscious, Aelfric smiled creepily, and then they were gone the next moment before anyone had time to do anything. But he knew that the others were going to be demanding an explanation and probably Yuri's head too.</p><p>So with the help of Claude, he managed to get everyone to calm down enough so that they could return to Abyss. They needed to be quick about this or else the small window of opportunity would close itself and the others would all be dead. All that just so that Aelfric could resurrect the woman he had been in love with.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>They really should have predicted the chaos that would erupt once the people of Abyss knew of the supposed betrayal of Yuri and Aelfric. It would make everything a lot harder if the people of Abyss didn't want to cooperate anymore. They had adored both Yuri and the true traitor, had trusted them with their lives even, so he couldn't exactly blame them for being completely shocked at the revelation.</p><p>Still, this was going to be hard to deal with. Dimitri wasn't exactly the best at convincing people, he had always left that up to Sylvain who was able to charm anyone into doing basically anything if he wanted. But to be faced with having to explain why things happened the way they happened was already giving him a headache.</p><p>So instead of addressing the crowd first, as he probably should have done, he took the others into the library. They would need a relatively quiet place for this conversation. Not to mention that he really wasn't sure how to make the entire thing believable to them.</p><p>Thankfully, it turned out that he didn't really need to. Claude took over a lot of the talking for him and he simply clarified the few things that he hadn't been able to explain in detail back at the battlefield. There were some skeptical faces, but at least no one looked like they were going to hunt Yuri down anymore. The dame couldn't be said for Aelfric however. There was general disbelief that anyone would go to such lengths as he did simply for the chance that this idea might work.</p><p>And when Linhardt brought up that the last time that someone had tried to do the ritual, the four Apostles to be exact, it hadn't even worked and therefore had been deemed a failure, there was even more confusion. Surely Aelfric had to have known about the fact that it hadn't worked the first time?</p><p>Dimitri himself wasn't so sure about that. The man had clearly gone insane in the wake of finding out that he could potentially revive the woman he had loved. People were known to do incredibly stupid things based on their emotions after all. Not to mention that the Apostles had been trying to bring back the Goddess, which was probably a whole different class of fucked up.</p><p>He mindlessly brought his hand up to where he had been injured for Claude. Yes, people did incredibly stupid things in the name of love. He wasn't any different really. And he couldn't even say with certainty that he wouldn't have done the same thing that Aelfric had done if he had been in his position.</p><p>Still though, to be willing to kill the people he had basically helped raise was a whole different can of worms. Sure, parents and guardians have killed their charges before, but they were all some weird psychopaths. Ar least in Dimitri's eyes. No one in their right mind would ever kill their own child, not under any normal circumstances.</p><p>He tried to imagine his own father trying to kill him. It was so impossible for him, that his mind didn't even want to conjure up any images. Neither his father nor Rodrigue would ever lay hand on a child. Then again, they probably wouldn't raise their hands against anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. It was what he had always admired about them after all. They were both good men.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>They came out of the library with something that could barely be called a plan. It had already taken them too long to figure out which place in or near the Monastery could be used to redirect an immense power. Not many places would even withstand that kind of thing, let alone be capable of allowing someone to form it to their will.</p><p>Dimitri was ashamed to say that they had to go to Lady Rhea to figure out where that thing might be held. That the answer was so obvious didn't help at all. Of course, the Holy Mausoleum would be the perfect place for something like that. It had held the Sword of the Creator for who knows how long. So of course it would most likely be able to withstand the energy that the Chalice would set free.</p><p>The scolding for their reckless acts didn't help his mood in the slightest. They had only tried to do what was right. The people of Abyss had needed help and the Church had clearly not been willing to help them. It was things like these that made him distrust the Church of Seiros and Lady Rhea in particular.</p><p>Thankfully Seteth had been able to see that they hadn't meant any harm and had done his best to shield them from repercussions that would have been too harsh. Weeding duty was nothing next to the possibility of being executed for taking a holy artifact. And he knew that this had been not too unlikely since there had been a few scattered records about executions for lesser reasons.</p><p>He had of course noticed that Edelgard had noticed his disdain for the archbishop. Hopefully, she wouldn't try to talk him into joining her side. While he definitely didn't like Lady Rhea, he liked her even less. Mostly because she would plunge all of Fodlan into a war that most likely could have been avoided.</p><p>But then again, it was obvious that the Church was keeping secrets, Which in itself was fine, no one could expect a large religion like that to expose all their secrets, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was important. He had no idea why he felt that way, or how it was even possible, but he trusted his instincts. They had helped him stay alive in a time where he had little to no clue what to expect.</p><p>The only source of comfort that he currently had was that Claude seemed to share his dislike for the archbishop. And that he looked a bit embarrassed that he hadn't thought about the Holy Mausoleum either.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yuri could and would have screamed in frustration if he didn't know fully well that he deserved every bit of defiant silence that his friends were giving him. In their eyes, he had betrayed them, even if he had told them through the grapevines that it had indeed been for a good reason. It didn't seem to change entirely too much about the fact that if they got out of this entire mess alive, he would have to work hard to regain their trust.</p>
<p>But on the other hand, it was an understandable reaction considering the fact that he was kind of betting their lives on strangers they had only met not too long ago. Sure, they had survived some crazy shit with these guys, but that wasn't exactly the best factor. It only showed how far he had been willing to go.</p>
<p>Sometimes he wanted to figure out a way to travel back in time just to slap some sense into his other-self. Maybe if he had been honest with his Wolves from the start, this all could have been avoided. They could have taken care of Aelfric before he had ever become a problem to anyone and they wouldn't have needed to involve students from the Monastery in this, potentially being responsible for their deaths.</p>
<p>All he could do now though was hope that Dimitri was as capable as he appeared to be. There was little doubt in his mind that he had gone ahead and told everyone just what exactly had happened by now, with Claude von Riegan most likely being the first one to get the full story. Their dynamic was one he couldn't fully understand.</p>
<p>But perhaps it was a similar story to how the Wolves and he had first gotten to know each other. Every last one of them had had a life filled with too many worries and fears. They each had their individual goals that they supported each other in, despite the fact that they tended to mock each other ruthlessly for them when the mood struck them. It was how they operated, how they knew that everything was alright.</p>
<p>But now he might very well have fucked up his chances to repair that friendship. "Well, what's the plan now?" Balthus's voice forcefully brought him back into the present and to their rather unfortunate situation. "We can't really do anything, now can we? We'll have to wait and see if the others can get here fast enough to save us."</p>
<p>Yuri didn't want to get his hopes up too high though. Sure, Dimitri seemed like the type of guy that would probably rush in here the second he found out just where exactly this entire thing was taking place, but with how many guards there were, there was no way in hell that he would be able to do anything without the help of the others. Claude might support Dimitri based on the fact that his crush was obvious to people like them and Hilda would probably follow them because Balthus was here. Marianne might come to help the blonde prince out as well since she seemed to follow him whenever she could.</p>
<p>"That sounds like a stupid plan, Yuribird.", Hapi commented dryly. The violet-haired man simply sighed and nodded his head. It was probably a stupid plan, but it was also the only one that even had the chance of working at all. Still, waiting patiently was something that, while usually not a problem for him, seemed to unnerve him right now. Might be the threat of death looming over their heads though.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>If he had been a more emotional man, and perhaps less of a shrewd one, he would have probably been in tears of relief the second he saw the others burst through the doors. But neither his pride nor his general personality would allow him to show that much weakness in such a critical situation.</p>
<p>"Sorry that it took so long. Convincing everyone and coming up with a plan was surprisingly difficult.", Dimitri said with a small smile. Yuri only managed to contain his laugh because he was already used to doing so. "It's fine. There was a good chance that no one would come, after all." That was probably the worst thing to imagine right now. Especially considering that Aelfric looked less than pleased with the sudden intrusion.</p>
<p>"I don't want to be annoying, but we're kind of dying from blood loss here. A little help would be much appreciated.", Hapi remarked with her usual sass. That got a collective short laugh out of everyone before the rescue group turned a lot more serious. Good, at least they actually understood how dangerous this was.</p>
<p>Thankfully, the students from Garreg Mach Monastery were all pretty smart in their own ways, so it didn't take long for them to come up with a plan on how they could get them out of these damned ritual circles they were trapped in. That was the fun part that Aelfric had forgotten to mention to him, probably because he was worried that he would manage to find a way how they could get out of there.</p>
<p>The fact that others were capable of easily deducting what was needed in order to get them out, showed that the worry was probably at least a little justified. Because Goddess damnit, it was hilarious to know that the only thing that was necessary was someone who would step into the circle.</p>
<p>Well, he should probably count his blessings that it was that easy, or else they might have been in a world of trouble. But when he noticed that Aelfric was talking to the Professor, he finally turned his attention back to the scene. Seeing the Ashen Demon so completely unimpressed by Aelfric's words was quite a sight and one he was sure that he wouldn't forget for as long as he was alive.</p>
<p>What was surprising though, was the fact that Sitri Eisner's body was still completely intact after all those years. Of course, he had heard that it was the case, but he had written it off as the ramblings of an obsessive madman. Which Aelfric still was, but at least he hadn't grown so delusional as to mistake a rotting corpse with a recently dead one.</p>
<p>It sent shivers down his spine to see that though. This wasn't natural at all. And somehow he didn't have a doubt that Lady Rhea was involved in this entire mess. From what he knew, she and Sitri were as close as sisters back then. When he looked back to the Professor, there was a flash of emotion in his eyes. Longing. Which was completely understandable, considering that he had grown up without ever knowing his mother.</p>
<p>But then Professor Byleth seemed to have come to the conclusion that dealing with potentially dangerous rituals and the possible consequences was simply not worth it. For a moment though, it had looked as if he hadn't been sure whether or not to fall for it. Yuri was grateful that he didn't, it meant that they wouldn't die.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>And so began the seemingly endless waiting period until the group had managed to fend off enough of the hired mercenaries so that they could start saving his Wolves. Hilda reached Balthus first, having torn anyone who had dared to stand in her way to shreds. There was some unspoken connection between those two that would definitely be worth trying to uncover once they weren't all bleeding out.</p>
<p>Next, Linhardt and Caspar reached Hapi. Then they proceeded to argue about who would step into the circle. Caspar won the argument by simply doing as he pleased. The annoyed sigh that seemed to leave Linhardt at that was worth every second. It seemed like the blue-haired brute wanted to make up for something.</p>
<p>Constance was the third to be saved from her little circle of hell. Marianne had stepped inside while Dimitri and Claude were covering her. The entire room flinched at the shrill laugh that the blonde mage gave at that, clearly feeling very relieved to be out of that thing. Not that anyone was blaming her for that, it was still draining her blood with every passing second after all.</p>
<p>That left only Yuri himself. He knew why he was the last one that they would get out, had expected it even, but it still kind of stung. He had simply done what had been necessary to save those he cared about. Sure, in the process he had made more than one mistake, but what mattered was that everything had turned out somewhat well.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, it was Bernadetta who saved him from his red prison. Seeing her determined face made him feel so incredibly guilty for not telling her about who he was. It would have undoubtedly been a great relief for her to hear that the friend that had been tortured and supposedly killed by her dick of a father had actually survived. He was simply too much of a coward to say anything though and so he had kept his silence.</p>
<p>"Bernadetta, after all of this is over, I need to talk to you. There is something that I have to tell you.", he said before he had a chance to think too deeply about it. He would have to learn to be more honest with his friends if he wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened here. And what better place to start than here?</p>
<p>All he got as an answer was a shy squeak and a nod before he had to hurry to take down that damned archer that was aiming for his oldest friend. As if he would actually allow anyone to hurt someone he cared about. Clearly, Aelfric didn't know him half as well as he liked to think that he did, or else he would have known that all of this was inevitable. No one messed with those he called his, not unless they wanted to know what hell was in a more intimate fashion than most people that are alive will ever know.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Getting to Aelfric turned out to be a bit more of a problem than they had originally thought. The bastard used his meteor spells to keep them at a safe distance and it was working entirely too well for Yuri's liking. Constance was the only one who could reasonably hit him since she was able to cast Bolting. It wasn't very fun to wait around uselessly for someone else to do the work for you though.</p>
<p>And apparently, that's what everyone else had thought too. Which meant that when Constance's Bolting managed to startle Aelfric for a second, they all rushed in without any hesitation. The closer they got, the less likely Aelfric would be to use his damn Meteor. He probably wouldn't want to risk getting hit by the spell himself after all.</p>
<p>It took a lot of patience, more injuries than he would like to admit, and the startling realization that Dimitri was absolutely not suited to take any magical damage whatsoever for them to reach the bastard. But when they finally managed to get there, there was a clear feeling of relief in the air. They were all tense and clearly exhausted, but that didn't stop them from trying to be the first one to injure Aelfric.</p>
<p>And then something happened that Yuri was certain none of them would ever forget. Aelfric, clearly having noticed that all of his mercenaries were either dead or had taken the opportunity to run away, thought that it was a great idea to finish the ritual using his own blood. When he was the one who had told him that only the blood of the four Apostles could ever even stand a chance of successfully completing the ritual. But desperate men were known to go to great lengths to achieve what they want.</p>
<p>Admittedly though, he doubted that even Aelfric had thought that he would turn into some kind of monstrosity. Almost like a demonic beast, except bigger, probably a lot stronger, and definitely much uglier. Which was saying a lot since your average demonic beast wasn't exactly the most pleasing thing to look at either.</p>
<p>Still though, the only thing going through everyone's head was probably one collective thought: We're fucked. How were they supposed to win against that thing? It was fueled by the rage of a madman cornered into doing something incredibly stupid after all. And clearly, it possessed most of Aelfric's memories too. This was going to be an absolute hell to survive even with the other four joining back up with them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The only thing that went through Linhardt's head as he saw the giant demonic beast that had formed itself out of Aelfric and Sitri Eisner's bodies, as well as the blood of the Ashen Wolves, was that this entire situation seemed awfully familiar to him. And that he would regret not patching things up with Caspar before he died, so that wasn't exactly an option for him right now. His best friend had made a clear attempt to fix his behavior and had actually started listening and asking how he could help.</p>
<p>So yes, he was very much willing to rely on the older version of himself again, especially if it meant that none of them had to die an early death. However, no one seemed to know just how to react to what had happened just now. No wonder, really. Most people didn't know that demonic beasts could be formed from human bodies, so that was an obvious shock factor some of them had to get over first.</p>
<p>The bad news was, they really didn't have much time. At least not if the sounds of that thing and the memories flashing through his head were anything to go off of. "We should probably get rid of this thing. Clean up is going to be messy enough without having to hunt down a demonic beast, no matter how unnaturally large it is."</p>
<p>That seemed to snap at least some of them out of their stupor. Hilda was one of them and he saw the same signs he had witnessed in himself. The disbelief that this was happening again was clear to him, simply because he shared it. They should have been able to prevent it, to change things, and yet they were back here again. Except that now there were more of them and there was no Ashe who gave them support.</p>
<p>Now there was Marianne who looked so afraid, it's her crest, he knows it is, but there's nothing he can do to help her or Lysithea as it is now and he feels like such a failure. He was supposed to be the smart one, the one who did his best to know everything about anything that caught his interest. And there was Bernadetta, who tried her best but who simply wasn't cut out for the horror they would face, not yet at least.</p>
<p>And then there was Caspar. Friendly, competitive, meatheaded Caspar. His best friend who often behaved like a brute but who he couldn't help but call his friend no matter what life they were living in and no matter which choices they had made. The one who had supported him when he, in his past life, had fallen in love and hadn't had the slightest clue how he should act. The one who had always stood beside him, no matter how often he proclaimed to be terrified of his father's reaction.</p>
<p>He was less worried about Claude and Dimitri. These two would be fine, as long as they had each other's back. Two men that were so different and yet so similar that even fate itself doesn't see a happy timeline where only one of them survives the damned war that was heading towards them with every day that they didn't take action to prevent it.</p>
<p>Edelgard wasn't someone who he wanted to waste any emotions on. He had seen with his own eyes what she was capable of, whose help she was willing to accept to achieve her goals. If the world had to burn to unify Fodlan under her rule, then it was the necessary sacrifice that needed to be made in her eyes, She never thought about the farmers who would starve and the orphans that would be left behind. They didn't matter to her.</p>
<p>The Ashen Wolves were probably the only wildcard in the room right now. He knew a bit about Hapi, had talked with her a lot in his past life, but the others eluded him. Constance was a great mage, no doubt about it, but she had the same weaknesses as most magic users did. Balthus and Yuri didn't have these problems, they both knew how to use a healing spell somewhat competently and that was going to keep them alive for long enough to either impale them in Yuri's case or knock them unconscious in Balthus'.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>He was rather rudely pulled out of his thoughts by the fact that he had to jump to the side or else he wouldn't have been there anymore. The demonic beast, Aelfric, had made the first move and now they were all left scrambling to get into the mindset that would allow them to actually focus on the task at hand. Not that Linhardt had any right to judge his friends for not paying attention since he himself had been a little too lost in his own thoughts.</p>
<p>Though he had managed to avoid the first attack, the second one was a bit different. That damned thing did have the strange ability to shuffle them all across the floor. It had been annoying the first time around, but now there wasn't a word to describe how he was feeling. So instead he focused on healing everyone he could reach, Marianne, Yuri, and Balthus clearly doing the same from where they were standing.</p>
<p>The beast had one of the best defenses he had ever seen on any being, but it wasn't invulnerable. They had technically managed to defeat it at least in one other timeline, with less of them then, so it shouldn't be impossible for them to manage to kill it now. They had the numbers to do so and the abilities to match that thing, they only needed to work together for a few damned minutes.</p>
<p>For a bit, this seemed to work rather well. As well as anyone could have expected it to go, though he did find himself looking for Ashe on occasion. This was something that would take time to get used to. The Blue Lions from his last life weren't born into this time and he honestly didn't have a clue how it would affect the rest of this timeline.</p>
<p>Then the shadow, clone, illusion, whatever one wanted to call it, of Aelfric appeared on the battlefield and left them all blindsided. Linhardt had honestly forgotten that this was going to happen and that it had already been a pain in the ass the last time they had fought against him. The fact that he had the advantage of changing every attack he used against as a healing to the demonic beast wasn't really helping them either. And they still had to make sure that Dimitri didn't get hit by a spell since his resistance to magic is rather pathetic.</p>
<p>It left him cursing in such a colorful language that he was sure even Caspar's father would almost be proud of how many insults he knew. And the man was kind of legendary for being able to come up with creative and hurtful insults at a minute's notice, so that was saying something about him right now. But he wasn't exactly in his best state of mind either, so hopefully, no one would be too surprised.</p>
<p>Not that any of them even had the chance to be surprised. No matter where you looked there were either arrows flying at the illusions at high speed or spells of all kinds. Hilda and Caspar had charged ahead and used the force that wielding an ax gave them to make sure that the demonic beast was losing as much of his defensive capabilities as possible.</p>
<p>Marianne, Yuri, Balthus, and himself were devoting most of their time to healing with the occasional spell or physical attack when there wasn't a pressing need for any of them to attend to their friends. Constance was Bolting the shit out of Aelfric, the demonic beast not the man, though she probably wanted to do that too for the betrayal. Claude and Bernadetta made short work of any illusions that were popping up while Dimitri did his best to make sure that the beast attacked mainly him. He could almost see the Minor Crest of Blaiddyd glowing around him nearly all the time.</p>
<p>And Professor Byleth was doing his best to organize their group and protect Hapi who had gotten a rather bad injury. None of their healers had had a chance to get over there yet, but both Marianne and he had cast a couple of physics to hopefully help out a bit. The problem with physic was that it wasn't actually half as effective as people liked to think it was. The greater the distance to the one it was cast on, the lesser the effect.</p>
<p>When they were all nearing the limit of what they could take, Claude managed to break the last major defense of that damned thing which left it way more vulnerable to attacks. Then it was pure chaos. Spells were flying from anyone who could cast one, including the Professor and Hapi, Axes were chopping away at the beast's legs, arrows were lodging into the giant beady eyes and Dimitri thrust his steel lance with enough force that it came back out on the other side of its neck.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>It was only after they had survived this damned mess that he could realize just how damned bloody everything was. The older, more cynical part of him was far too used to the sight already, but he himself was feeling rather sick at seeing the mess. Hopefully, they wouldn't need to clean this up, though he could understand if that was to be the case. It was their fault that the Holy Mausoleum looked like this after all.</p>
<p>Thankfully, they didn't have to wait for long until Lady Rhea arrived with a few of the Knights and Seteth. Seeing as there was no one to arrest since Aelfric's body just disappeared instead of actually being dead or anything, they seemed far more at ease than before. He himself had nothing against the archbishop and yet he felt more than annoyed seeing her. As he usually did when he couldn't explain something he felt these days, he blamed it on the other guy living in his head.</p>
<p>Which was an interesting concept, really. Something must have happened that the older Linhardt was so annoyed and even angry to see the leader of the Church. He didn't even want to think about the guilt that was flooding him when he looked at Seteth, this was a can of worms he would rather not open right now, in front of everybody.</p>
<p>This only made him more determined to figure things out. Preferably by finding a way to communicate with the other him. It just made the most sense to him since it was his past that was leaving him with severe whiplash every time he so much as looked at certain people. Not only was it starting to become rather distracting and therefore annoying, but he was also very much limited with what he could do.</p>
<p>Pushing all of these thoughts away for now, he listened to the archbishop pass judgment on the Ashen Wolves. It only made him more annoyed. And apparently, a majority of their group agreed, to the point where even Professor Byleth intervened. It was going to be a difficult task to get that woman to agree to let them join the Golden Deer house, but it was something that was absolutely the right choice. These four were needed in the Monastery, in Abyss. Without them, there would be chaos.</p>
<p>It seemed like something had snapped Dimitri's patience, as little as there was when dealing with Lady Rhea. He certainly did not seem very fond of her. "Lady Rhea, you are being unreasonable. Yuri did what he had to do in order to protect those closest to him, something any good leader should do. The other three were as clueless as any of us had been when Aelfric revealed himself to be an obsessive maniac. Punishing them for something they had little to no control over is what a tyrant does. Are you a tyrant?"</p>
<p>This seemed to agitate the archbishop even further. Not that he blamed her, the next King of Faerghus had just compared her to a tyrant and no one would enjoy that, but this was simply a sign to most that Dimitri was right. Finally though, she caved in and let them join the Golden Deer house. Not that there was anything that she could have done after the Knights and Seteth had voiced their hesitant support of the idea.</p>
<p>And so their little circle grew by four people. Four more friends that would undoubtedly be nothing but a pain in the ass when the time came to explain everything to them. Though by Claude's rather sour look, he could guess that at least one of their secrets had already been revealed to him. No surprise there, the violet-haired man had eyes and ears everywhere.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The DLC's finally done. I cannot tell you how difficult this had been to write. But now the Ahsen Wolves are here to stay and we'll return to the main story next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it and have a wonderful day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Claude had hoped that they might get some peace and quiet after everything that they had just gone through with Abyss, but no. The church needed them to move into Kingdom territory to deal with the theft of a heroes relict. Some abandoned son of a noble family who had thought that it was his birthright to wield that damned thing despite the fact that he didn't bear the matching crest. Or any crest at all for that matter. Something already told him that this wasn't going to be a fun mission.</p><p>Apparently, the rest of his Deers agreed, well, not that it was that surprising. Whether it was from the fact that Nobles from the Alliance were sent into Faerghus territory at a semi-regular routine by now, or because no one wanted Dimitri to feel bad for the fact that their next mission was once again in the Kingdom he would rule one day, thereby showing him just how bad the situation was, was something he couldn't keep apart.</p><p>For him, it was a little bit of both. Sure, it was a good opportunity to learn more about Faerghus itself, just in case that Dimitri decided that his plans were unreasonable, unlikely as it was to happen, but he didn't like the embarrassment and shame that were constantly clouding the blonde prince these days. It seemed almost as if he was blaming himself for the state that Fearghus was currently in, which made no sense at all. He technically wouldn't even be born for centuries now and by then the Kingdom didn't exist in the same form anymore. Instead, it became a republic. Something he still had some trouble wrapping his mind around.</p><p>It just seemed like such a drastic change to make. One day there was a monarchy, the next everyone was scrambling to get together a functional council that would decide on rules for elections. It was a great system, one that would allow the people to choose who would lead them instead of crests or bloodlines, but it was also a change that was bigger than most other changes that had been made in the millennia since Seiros defeated Nemesis. Not that much had changed since then at all, except for what everyone knew.</p><p>Not to mention that Dimitri had flinched when he had heard that they would be going to Gautier territory. Which was fair, since according to him, one of his closest friends back in his own time was a Gautier as well. It must be difficult to come to terms with the fact that there was someone in that family who had once stolen a holy artifact. Or perhaps there was another reason for that and he just didn't want to talk about it.</p><p>Either way, their entire class had taken upon themselves the duty to distract the blonde to the best of their abilities. Raphael constantly bugged him to join him while training, saying that Dimitri's strength was something that was always reliable. Ignatz talked about paintings and the history behind them. He didn't really understand all that much of it. Linhardt told him about crests and Hilda about the latest fashion though both seemed rather out of it lately.</p><p>Leonie was trying to learn more strategy from the prince, which she said would be vital if she wanted to be as great as Jeralt one day. That had earned her a fond eye-roll from the class, they had gotten used to her obsession with the Captain. Lysithea tried, and failed hilariously, to teach him some magic. It was surprisingly amusing to watch the blonde struggle to listen to the explanation he was receiving while also trying to not fall asleep. Lorenz debated about politics and how nobles should behave. He fled from that discussion as soon as he was able to.</p><p>Currently, Marianne seemed the only one who Dimitri was talking completely openly to. It was probably because he was so used to doing so while they took care of the horses together, but that didn't make the jealousy fade any faster. And he knew that it was stupid to be jealous since he was still spending more time with the blonde than any other member of their house. It was clear that if there was anything that was actually troubling Dimitri, he would come to him first.</p><p>And while that was flattering, he was also aware of the fact that Yuri had apparently decided to try to take this flirting a bit more seriously. It wasn't working, since half the time he was being too subtle as that the blonde would even catch onto that, though that was probably related more to the fact that he seemed to trust him. The worst thing was, that Claude couldn't even be angry about that. He understood why Yuri would be fascinated by Dimitri. They were entirely too similar in that regard as that he could plead ignorance on that matter. Just as he was aware that part of the appeal for Yuri was seeing if he could win Dimitri's love before Claude.</p><p>Constance, Balthus, and Hapi showed up occasionally too, though not half as often as their leader did. For Constance, there was the fact that she seemed to switch personalities when she was exposed to sunlight. Hapi was just generally uninterested in most things and only came up to talk to Linhardt about removing her crest. And Balthus was living in constant fear that one of the guards would sell him out to one of the many people that were offering a pretty sum for his head.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>A week later they found themselves walking through cold, muddy ground to reach that damned defense tower where the bandit son had set up his headquarters. And Claude was not in a good mood. At all. For the past four days, he had such terrible dreams that felt entirely too real, a bit like what Linhardt had told them he had experienced for a while now. They constantly left him confused and with a migraine that occasionally proved too much for him to bear.</p><p>Not to mention that something told him that this entire situation was playing out wrong. That they shouldn't be accompanied by Shamir but by another Knight. He didn't know anyone named Gilbert though, and he had made it his personal duty to learn the name of every Knight that was serving the Church. Information like that had the tendency to prove valuable when you least expected it to.</p><p>There was one good thing that came with his warped reality though, and that was that Dimitri seemed too concerned for him as that he would leave him alone for longer than he felt was necessary. Which was just a testament to how well they had gotten to know one another in the few months that the blonde had been here. Most people never understood that it was important to give their friends and family space and time for themselves instead of smothering them with their attention all the time. So Dimitri knowing that just proved how much he cared.</p><p>Conand Tower was certainly impressive to look at, a clear sign of just how powerful Faerghus had once been before the civil unrest that killed the royal family. Even he had heard many great things about the former King and his admirable wish to open up his borders bit by bit, therefore clearly distinguishing himself from the other major powers. King Jerome had been a beloved man. No, was his name Jerome? Or was it Lambert?</p><p>Shaking his head to clear himself of that thought, he questioned why he was suddenly so unsure about the late King's name. It had been Jerome, that much was common knowledge. Lambert was the name of Dimitri's father, who had been a lawyer and not a King. Or rather would be, since he wasn't exactly born yet. With a frown on his face, he caught up to Linhardt. Maybe it was time to ask if he was actually experiencing the same thing as him since the green-haired man seemed to know what their reality was at all times. Unlike him, apparently.</p><p>"Hey Linhardt, uh... do you remember when you told us about your past self living inside your head and occasionally taking over when things get dangerous?", he asked with a slightly nervous smile. "Yes, a most fascinating fact, isn't it? Almost as if someone wished for me to know what could possibly happen, but keeping those memories locked away until they deem me ready to understand them. Why are you asking?", Linhardt ask, curiosity clear in his voice.</p><p>"I think I might be experiencing similar things? Not for too long, only four days now, but just now I was thinking that all of this seemed wrong somehow. Like we should be accompanied by a knight named Gilbert, who doesn't exist, and that King Jerome wasn't the name from the late King of Faerghus." Even saying it out loud didn't make it feel any more real than it had the last few days, It was starting to get annoying, though he knew that even Linhardt didn't know how to make it stop. They would have known about it otherwise, he was sure of that.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>In the end, they didn't have any time to keep discussing their personal problems. They had finally reached the entrance to the tower and were readying themselves for another battle no one could know would end well. Such was the fate of those who were studying at the Officers Academy. Constantly risking your life for the people and the Church. He personally only had a problem with the latter and not with the former. But that could be because he was a very cynical person when it came to Fodlan's religion.</p><p>The bandits themselves weren't the biggest problem. Sure, one had gotten uncomfortably close to Linhardt and nearly managed to seriously injure him, but the mage had an older version of himself living in his head who had taken care of that. Really practical in these situations to have someone more experienced guide you through a life and death situation.</p><p>The leader of the bandits, Jean, was a different story though. Not to mention that he suddenly felt a cold shiver go up his spine when they finally faced him. Visions of Lysithea and Raphael lying dead in front of a demonic beast filled his line of sight, distracting him and making it necessary for Dimitri to take a blow for him. The dread he felt didn't leave even after they had seemingly managed to corner this douchebag into a corner. They only needed the damn relic and get back to the Monastery, preferably without any of his friends dying in the process.</p><p>But of course, it wasn't that it, because where would be the fun in that? Instead, the relic seemed to react to the fact that someone without a crest was wielding it and transformed the guy into the demonic beast he had seen. It was one of the most nauseating sights he had ever seen, and that included that one time his father had ripped the intestines of one of his enemies out when he was five. Though whether the nausea came from the fact that relics could apparently turn people into demonic beasts or his vision of death and despair wasn't something he could tell. Probably a bit of both, if he had to guess.</p><p>Thankfully, none of them had to fight that beast alone. And they had Professor Byleth with them, who was wielding the Sword of the Creator as if it had been made just for him. It seemed as though the relics held the power to destroy these beasts easier as well. Wasn't that a highly ironic thing? They might have killed other humans whenever they had killed a demonic beast. Except for Aelfric, since there hadn't been a body left, which decidedly made him not human anymore. Even burning to death left bones after all. But nothing had been left of that guy.</p><p>Shamir also proved to be a great asset to them. She was nimble and quick, making it near impossible for that thing, for Jean, to hit her. But she also had more than enough strength to give that thing hell while the rest of them were slowly destroying its defenses. All in all, it wasn't a very fun fight, definitely not something that he would ever like to repeat. Not to mention that everything still felt weird.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The way back to the Monastery was filled with silence and he couldn't be more grateful for that if he really tried. It gave him the time he needed to think about everything that had happened that day. From the weird visions where he had seen his friends dead, to the fact that relics were a good deal scarier than anyone could have ever assumed they would be. Of course, everyone knew that you shouldn't use a relic without a crest, a matching one preferably, but no one had known that this would be what happened if you did it in spite of everything.</p><p>The only one who didn't seem surprised was Linhardt, which told him that he had been warned by his older self about this very event. It might have been one that had changed everything in his timeline. Which would make sense, since apparently both Raphael and Lysithea would have died right then and there. That was something he almost didn't want to think about, but he knew he had to.</p><p>Back at the Monastery, when they finally got out of their dirty clothes and had some food in their stomachs even if no one seemed particularly hungry, he was surprised to see Dimitri in front of his door. But instead of saying something, or giving him the chance to make some funny quip, he just wordlessly pulled him into his arms. A clear invitation. No matter what, Dimitri wouldn't tell anyone else. And so he leaned on his shoulder and just let all of his emotions out. For the first time since he was a child, he cried in front of another human being.</p><p>It shouldn't have been as embarrassing as it was, really. Everyone should be able to cry, but Almyra saw this as a weakness. Allowing someone to see you vulnerable wasn't something you did if you wanted to be respected as a warrior there. But he wasn't in Almyra right now and there wasn't anyone there to judge him for his moment of weakness and he was so tired of always having to keep everything bottled up. Not to mention that he felt safe in Dimitri's presence, his personality too honest and caring as that he would ever betray his trust by making fun of him.</p><p>And so he cried, letting himself feel the fear he had suppressed during the battle, the sorrow of seeing two of his closest friends die, even if it was only in a vision, the helplessness that came with knowing that he wouldn't be able to do much if there ever came a day that one of them was in serious danger because he was too young and too inexperienced and not quite strong enough yet. But he also knew that he wasn't alone, he had friends by his side, something he never thought possible.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here's the next chapter that I'm actually not quite as happy with as I was when I wrote it, but it's necessary or else everything will stop making sense. See you all in the new year.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Byleth could safely say that none of his students had expected a worried-looking Seteth to jump them with the news that his sister Flayn was missing. Neither had he if he had to be honest. Life at the Monastery was weird though, so maybe he should have seen something like this happening right when they were just returning from a rather important mission that had left them all disgusted by the heroes relics. As if the situation with Aelfric hadn't been damaging enough for those of his students that had been involved in that fiasco, now they had to deal with the fact that apparently anyone who so much as touches a relic without the proper crest, or was it any crest?, would turn into a demonic beast.</p><p>The young mercenary would admit that thinking about the fact that he might have killed more innocents than he already knew about with every time that he had struck one of these beasts down while on a job was quite disturbing. But then again, so was having dreams about a war that seemingly never happened and hearing a child's voice inside his head. Sothis was weird, but he liked her well enough. Not to mention that the fact that he could use her gift to turn back time was something that might actually prove useful if his pupils were ever in any real danger during one of those damned missions the Church was forcing them to go on every month.</p><p>As thing were, he would say that he was more than just a little bit confused. Not to mention that he still couldn't understand the archbishop. Not that surprising considering that he had problems understanding most other humans and their feelings, but she was on another level. Sometimes it seemed as if she was watching him no matter what he did, something that would probably induce nightmares in any other person. But he wasn't like everyone else, had known it from an early age. He didn't feel emotions to the same extent that others did. It had allowed him to become a feared mercenary, but he supposed that he was also a bit lonely at times.</p><p>Not anymore though, he realized as he was engaged in another discussion with Claude and Dimitri. The next Duke of the Leicester Alliance and the next King of Faerghus. Those two were an odd pair that were shrouded in mystery. Something inside him itched to figure them out, to know what motivated them, to maybe even befriend them. And this was what confused him the most. He didn't have friends, was generally considered too creepy for most as that they would dare to approach him. For others, it was his blank stare or his reputation that drove them away, but not these two. No matter what happened, they did their best to include him. From politics, which wasn't his strong point, goddess he had learned so much from Dimitri on that alone, to military plans and even just mundane things.</p><p>For the first time, he felt completely accepted by those around him for who he was. And it was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced in his still relatively short life. Maybe this was why he hadn't been as present during the impromptu class emergency meeting as for what they would and even could do in order to find Flayn. Hunting down clues with Raphael and Ignatz was more fun than he could ever imagine. Listening to the people talk about the Knight that had accompanied them was confusing and they quickly scratched him from the list of suspects. He had been away on a mission with them after all. Then there was Professor Hanneman, an old man that really didn't have it in him. He just really liked Crests and that was all he knew about the man. Tomas, the librarian was a different matter. An entirely unpleasant fellow. Then Alois, who was supported by his father, so he couldn't have kidnapped her. Not to mention that he was too much of a goofball to seriously hurt an innocent girl. He rather liked him too, he supposed.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>It had taken more time than any of them would have liked, nearly two weeks after Seteth had first told them of Flayn's disappearance, but they had finally managed to get a helpful clue. And it came from the fact that his father had seen Professor Manuela run towards Jeritza's rooms with his mask in hand. Admittedly, this wouldn't have been a clue earlier, since it had happened only shortly before they had heard about it. Some of the students had apparently already said that the man had been acting very much out of character. But suspecting someone of kidnapping a girl just because they had been acting slightly odd wasn't something someone did. Certainly no one in Garreg Mach Monastery. His students weren't like others wither though, and this might be why he got along with them so well. They stood out in a sea of people who were blurring together more and more with each and every day.</p><p>Edelgard had surprised them all by showing up completely out of nowhere. Apparently, she had heard about the fact that Professor Manuela hadn't returned from bringing Jeritza's mask back to him. Not too surprising, the Adrestian Princess was dangerously smart when she wanted to be. Not to mention that her guard dog Hubert was staring at them as if he was contemplating how best to get rid of them. And since this made the less confident of his students afraid, he sent them to bring the older Professor to the healing wing. There was no way that he was going to allow anyone to put fear into his students' hearts, least of all a man that just wanted to be seen as the bad guy by the way he was acting. Subtlety was something that he clearly didn't know much about.</p><p>The masked knight calling himself the Death Knight, which was entirely too dramatic for his taste if he had to be honest since he also hated his given title of Ashen Demon, had clearly been awaiting them. Not only was it likely that he was Jeritza, the clues were simply too obvious as that this wouldn't be the case, he also seemed very intent on fighting him to the death. Which he wasn't too interested in, not when he had students to protect and a poor girl to safe from getting her blood drained. What did they even want with Flayn's blood? Seteth would have a heart attack if he ever told him about this little detail. Which was precisely why he reminded his house that they wouldn't mention that to the poor man no matter what. With a special emphasis on making sure that Dimitri agreed to not say anything.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>So it wasn't too surprising to find a bunch of soldiers who seemed loyal to some figure or another. They positioned themselves in a practical formation until they found the teleportation platform. By complete accident too, since Linhardt went over to look at what exactly was on the floor and was then engulfed by the spell. So they had to split up, and quickly too, or otherwise, the green-haired young man might have been killed by the knight that had been waiting on the other side. Thankfully, Raphael had managed to block the swing that would have definitely killed the poor guy. And then he had apparently proceeded to beat him up if the sounds were any indication. It made him smile, as it was so like the big guy to do that.</p><p>The Linhardt group, as he called the ones who were taking the teleportation path, consisted of Linhardt, Raphael, Ignatz, Leonie, and Lysithea. At first, they hadn't been sure whether or not to send Lyithea with them or Marianne, until they heard Linhardt remind them that he was in fact capable of casting healing spells. And that the other group would need a healer too. So Claude, Dimitri, Lorenz, Marianne, and he had taken the open path. And they were nearly killed the second that they set foot inside it since there were too many archers and only Claude was equipped to deal with them. Not that anyone seemed too worried, since Dimitri wasn't hesitating in the slightest to just break the weapons they wielded. Those were made out of steel. Occasionally he's still blown away by the strength that the blonde possessed thanks to his crest.</p><p>The mages were dangerous as always since the heir of Faerghus was still incapable of taking more than a hit or two before he would need to retreat. This was something that he needed to change, maybe by focusing on helping him build some more resistance before continuing to train him in anything else. He was already much better than he had been when he had taken over, thanks to some late-night training sessions that he had admitted to after being asked. That had impressed him as well since most people wouldn't care too much about whether or not they were capable enough when it came to fighting if they were set to inherit a kingdom. But that only seemed to motivate Dimitri further. Apparently, it wasn't acceptable for him to let the soldiers do everything while he sat back and watched from the sidelines.</p><p>Their groups met back up in front of the door behind which Jeritza was hiding while one of the mages who was probably focused on healing magic was draining Flayn's blood. But none of them had thought about picking up a key that would open the door and instead of going back and searching the corpses of the soldiers that had been stupid enough to stand in their way, they let Dimitri deal with it while they gave him cover. Byleth kept the guards away by using the Sword of the Creator and its long reach. Cutting them down was easy enough, but facing the Death knight still made him a bit uncomfortable. not because he was afraid to do so, but because he didn't want to risk his students' lives. They were basically all still children, they shouldn't have to deal with all of this mess.</p><p>He was proven wrong about them within a few minutes though. Lysithea was gleefully using the new spell she had learned, Dark Spikes, to give that asshole a hard time. When she couldn't cast anymore, Dimitri switched in, activating his crest and throwing the guy through the wall. He really couldn't stop the laugh that slipped past his lips at the sight. Which in turn made all of his students brighten up regardless of how many hits they might have taken before. And the blonde prince seemed a bit shy afterwards. "Alright, Claude take Flayn up. Seteth will be relieved to see her alive and mostly well. Everyone else, go make sure that not a single one of these monsters gets out alive.", he said with as much authority as he could possibly much muster.</p><p>And then he proceeded to give Jeritza, the Death Knight, the beatdown of his life. Not only did he kidnap Flayn, a sweet innocent girl that hadn't done anything to deserve the hell she most likely had to go through, but also for making his students feel like they might not be as safe in the Monastery as they should be. There would undoubtedly be more than a few complaints that the entire staff would be receiving from all those noble families. It was already causing him to develop a headache that was only going to get worse the longer he thought about it. Which put him in an even worse mood than the one he had already been in for the past two weeks and suddenly he was very grateful for the fact that he had someone to take it out on without getting judged for it.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>In the end, it had been Dimitri who had told him to let him live, since they couldn't allow themselves to become the same monsters that they were fighting. Which almost made him want to tear up since it was clear that the blonde thought that he, the Ashen Demon, was something more than just a monster that kills when he's told to kill. This had resulted in a panicked Dimitri trying to keep him from crying and Claude laughing his ass off while the rest of their group looked on with fond exasperation of varying levels on their faces. That was how Seteth found them, with him sitting on the ground and looking up at the prince with teary eyes and he really had to compliment the guy for not freaking out completely. Instead, he genuinely thanked them all for doing the right thing, which felt so wrong somehow.</p><p>That didn't mean that the green-haired advisor was very happy when Flayn wanted to join his class after she escaped the medical wing and the trained eyes of every healer in the Monastery. None of them were against it, clearly seeing that she was still shocked and deeply afraid of something like that happening again. She was looking for safety and protection with the people who had saved her from that situation, which was understandable and seemed to melt everyone's heart every time it came up. He was even fairly certain that Dimitri had been crying over what had happened to her which had left him bewildered before he had only managed to smile fondly. It felt like he was an older brother that was watching his younger brother nurse a fledgling back to health.</p><p>And so they had gained another member to their small family, alongside Seteth since apparently, these two were a package deal. He was lingering around them far more than was strictly necessary but no one was seriously upset about it or blaming him for needing to ensure that his sister was safe after what happened. And then Caspar approached him to ask if he could join them as well since he wanted to be closer to Linhardt again, which he simply couldn't deny. Their friendship was one he couldn't understand but it was clearly working for the both of them. So he joined them too, causing Linhardt to lecture him that he shouldn't base his choices on one person. Which was a really odd sight. No one had known the green-haired magical prodigy to actually care about anything that anyone was doing as long as it didn't involve him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The first chapter in 2021. I'm so happy that despite the stress of the last few weeks, I was still able to get the last chapter and this one up on time. Anyway, Happy New Year and stay safe.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone was getting excited for the Battle of the Lion and Eagle this month, this much was obvious to anyone with a set of working eyes or ears. Claude was just happy that everything seemed to have calmed down enough to actually allow them to enjoy their time at the Monastery for once. And this mock battle is one that every year was looking forward to. The chance to show off just how much you've learned in the short time that you were trained by the finest instructors in all of Fodlan. Sometimes he wonders if his old man would appreciate this odd tradition, before he remembers that, no, he probably would not. Fighting shouldn't have a different reason other than that you want to test your strength against a worthy opponent.</p><p>He wasn't the only one who was noticeably not excited as everyone else though. Dimitri had been closing himself off for the past few days and he couldn't and wouldn't deny that it hurt. No matter how many times he had tried to coax the truth out of the blonde, his friend had remained stubborn and relentless. Which really already told him everything that he needed to know. Something was going to happen in the future and it would taint the happy memories of his friends of the mock battle. The thought was filled with bitterness at the fact that he couldn't change it, that he was unable to prevent the war from ever breaking out no matter how much he might want to. But he was also upset, mainly because Dimitri was upset and this was his life now.</p><p>Those of their classmates that had been aware of the truth had tried to keep their cheerful mood down, clearly aware that something was bothering the Prince without knowing what it could be. That hadn't been successful though and had only managed to make the blonde feel guilty for making them feel like they had to tame their emotions for him. Because that idiot was incapable of seeing that it didn't matter if they couldn't show their excitement as much as they might want to. Nothing was worth mentally disturbing someone who was only trying to look out for them in any way that he could, even if that meant keeping secrets from certain people. No, he still wasn't happy about it, but his friend was stubborn as a mule and twice as thickheaded too.</p><p>Still, watching Dimitri curl into himself more and more was painful. He seemed to be surrounded by an air of sadness no matter where he went. Not to mention that he seemed to be unable to look Seteth in the eye, which only made things worse. The blonde idiot wasn't aware of just how expressive he could be when he felt like he had to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders. But they had the chance to change history, to save those that couldn't be saved before. For that to be something that can be done though, they needed to have the information of what would actually happen at Gronder Field. Not next month, there would be no opportunity for anyone to start anything with the amount of Knights that will watch over everything, but during the war that they were preparing for with every day.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>His deers were insistent that he was the one to talk to Dimitri because it was apparently much more likely that the Prince of Faerghus would answer his question than anyone else's. A few days ago he would have agreed without any hesitation, but by now he wasn't so sure anymore. It seems like the more Dimitri remembers that he is in fact in the past and that he does know what will happen to certain people, he pulls back from everyone he had come to rely on during their months of fighting together. And perhaps no one felt it as acutely as Khalid did, because everyone else had someone who they could confide in with all their problems and secrets besides one person.</p><p>The brunette didn't have that luxury though. Dimitri had been the first one who had known about his Almyran heritage, except Lady Judith but that blasted woman didn't count and hadn't judged him for who his father was. That was before Hilda had revealed that she apparently knew too, but that might be because she is one of three, him included, who were having vivid flashbacks to a past that wasn't theirs. Which, yes fine, he hadn't exactly told Dimitri about his nightmares, but he just didn't want to see the poor guy fret about his health all the damn time. He was doing it for Linhardt and Hilda already, whenever their flashbacks got particularly bad.</p><p>Though lately, Caspar had taken it upon himself to be there for Linhardt as soon as the slightest symptom of a flashback showed itself. The guy was so sincere in trying to understand what his best friend was going through that it was actually painfully awkward to watch. The green-haired mage seemed mightily pleased by the behavior though, so no one dared to make a wrong comment unless they wanted the older version to blast them with another spell. He had done it to one of the Black Eagle students who had asked if he was getting mentally challenged. Between the magical attack and Caspar jumping the guy and breaking both his arms in pure rage, it had been clear that this wasn't something to ask about.</p><p>It was the weekend before the damned mock battle where he finally managed to corner the blonde and get him when he wasn't expecting anyone to seek him out. His dazed expression had kind of given that away, but he wasn't someone to judge others for how they were feeling. They all needed some time alone on certain occasions, but Dimitri really had had enough of that. In fact, the blue-eyed man had so much free time all for himself, that he seemed to have come to multiple world-changing revelations. Like pushing away all your friend because you don't want them to worry about what was going to happen in the future was the best course of action to take. Or not expecting the guy you know to be too attached to one of the only people he can trust completely to find a way to corner you.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>"Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, stop running away from us you damned idiot." No, that wasn't the best thing to say and he knew that, but he was quite honestly done with trying to chase after the heir to the throne to Faerghus. Their dear time traveler was an odd one, they all knew that from the moment that they had met him, but this was getting too ridiculous. And yes, he felt guilty for making his dearest friend flinch, he wasn't quite the monster some liked to make him out to be after all. "You've been distancing yourself from us for weeks now. We've been patiently waiting for you to come to the realization that it doesn't matter what's wrong, you can come to us. But you never did. And that hurts. So what's wrong? Why can you not stand being around us anymore, Dimitri?"</p><p>The guilty look on the blonde's face was nearly enough to have him try to take his words back. It was clear that the man knew what he had been doing, but also that he believed that he had a good enough reason to do so. "I'm sorry Claude. I didn't mean to worry you and the others. It's just that knowing that we're going to be fighting at Gronder Field is a difficult reality to face for me." So he was right with his theory that it all came down to the fact that he knew what was going to happen. That didn't make anything better though. In fact, it only served to make him a bit more angry than he should have been. The guy didn't owe any of them shit after all.</p><p>"Then tell us what's wrong. Tell us what's going to happen. It's the only way to prevent it, Dima. But stop pushing us away. You are actively hurting our friends with your behavior. Even Seteth is questioning whether or not you are alright. The guy sounded downright worried when we couldn't answer what is wrong with you. Professor Byleth thinks that he should be someone you can confide in but don't because you don't trust him. Linhardt and Hilda keep looking around whenever they're struggling through a particularly rough flashback that none of us can help them calm down from like you do. Yuri has some of his people constantly watching you because he is scared that you will do something absolutely stupid." He felt tears sting his eyes as he finally said everything that has been weighing him down for weeks.</p><p>"And you didn't even confide in me. You know about my past, you know how hard it is for me to trust someone so completely like I trust you, and yet you still pushed me away. Why?" It wasn't fair of him to bring his past into the mix, it really wasn't. But that didn't make it any less true and Dimitri knew it. So why shouldn't he say what he wanted to say when both of them were fully aware of how true his words were? Coddling the Crown Prince wouldn't work, he wasn't the type of person to appreciate it too much, unlike Hilda. Offering genuine help and criticism was a different story though, which was what he was trying to convey with his little angry speech. It wasn't the best-worded speech he had ever given and he was definitely guilt-tripping his friend a bit, but he really couldn't help himself in this situation.</p><p>"Nader is going to die on that field." That statement made him pause and ripped him right out of his thoughts. Nader was going to die? On Gronder Field? "So will Flayn. Seteth will fall at Enbarr, torn apart by the grief of losing the person closest to him. Raphael and Leonie will fall in Shambala. Caspar is going to die a year after the war ended, defending the borders from being invaded." This was a lot of information for him to be facing in this short amount of time. He was still not over the fact that apparently, Nader will fall at Gronder Field. "How?" That was all that he could ask with a helpless glance at the blonde. "He is going to defend the citizens that live close by. He will answer your call, as will a large majority of Almyra, and he wasn't prepared for the magic that the secret organization backing Edelgard uses."</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The rest of the weekend just kind of passed him by after he informed the others of the vague reason why Dimitri was so off. He didn't spare any of the people he knew would die, except for Seteth and Flayn since they haven't decided whether to tell them about their little secret or not. It had caused the usually so rowdy group to fall silent. Everyone looked horrified at what they had heard. Linhardt had refused to even think about leaving Caspar's side, stating that he wanted to make sure that no matter what, his best friend was going to survive the damned war that was coming for them. This was how they had told Caspar about their secrets too. He had taken it a lot better than anyone would have thought possible.</p><p>Professor Byleth decided that it was for the best if Dimitri wasn't going to fight in the mock battle. It might damage his fragile state of mind more than it already was and no one wanted to see him snap. So they all agreed, Hilda even going so far as to take his position despite the fact that she had originally been opposed to even being part of the battle at all. When they had told the blonde, he had looked both guilty and very grateful for the fact that he was allowed to stay in Garreg Mach. Apparently knowing about what was going to happen was pretty damn traumatic for him. Not that Claude actually blamed the guy, he was scarred just from hearing about it.</p><p>Which is precisely why he needed to have his ass saved multiple times by his classmates. Thankfully, no one commented on his less than spectacular performance and instead they covered for him wherever it was possible. That left Ignatz as the sole archer of the group, but he was actually doing remarkably well. From what he had heard, Dimitri had given the guy a well-deserved confidence boost. Ever since then, the smaller man was a lot more self-assured when holding a bow or even any weapon at all. It was oddly poetic to watch at times, almost as if he was watching a younger sibling grow up to realize the potential they always had. The guy definitely deserved it too.</p><p>Linhardt and Hilda had been aggressively chasing after every single Black Eagles student they could find. Presumably, it was to show that they wouldn't be taken down without a fight, though Khalid thought it was more to let off some steam. Both of them were already struggling with the knowledge of some other versions past and know they had to hear that apparently, this universe had cost them entirely too much too. He himself feels the older part of himself stir a bit, though the guy had yet to actively show himself. Occasionally he would have a flashback, usually in the least convenient places too, but other than that there wasn't much. A new sadness when he looked at Dimitri, but that could be his own as well.</p><p>Professor Byleth was tearing through the students that were crossing his way, Raphael, and Caspar right behind him in order to guard him against sneaky attackers. Leonie picked up anyone who got too close to Lysithea and Lorenz, who in turn were doing their damn best to take down any other mages they could find. Yuri and Balthus were... somewhere, he honestly hadn't managed to keep track of them too much, due to the trickster's relics ability. Constance was flying above everyone's head, despite her protest at being out on a sunny day, and was giving just everyone a bad time by Bolting their asses off. Hapi was locked in a weirdly intense duel with Hubert, who in turn seemed to be almost fascinated by the sheer amount of dark magic she knew.</p><p>They won the competition relatively easily, in no small part thanks to the fact that they all were used to each other by now and had not only the Ashen Wolves but also Linhardt and Caspar on their side. No one was actually feeling any kind of celebration though. The knowledge of what was going to happen here was hanging over everyone's head. Even Flayn didn't seem as happy as she usually was, though that might be because Seteth had absolutely refused to let her join the fight and Professor Byleth had actually agreed with him. And since there was no Dimitri there to change their minds and Claude himself was too lost in his own thoughts, she had watched the battle from the sideline along with her brother. Claude couldn't wait to be back at Garreg Mach though, he just wanted to get his mind off of the war that was going to happen.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy and carefree times are slowly coming to an end. We're going to be entering a pretty dark phase soon, so consider yourself warned. I hope you still enjoyed the chaüter and stay safe.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dimitri knew that he hadn't exactly been fair to everyone who had only expressed their care for him, but knowing what was going to happen on these fields one day was driving him crazy. Worse, he knew that he would inevitably be the cause for at least one of the deaths there. Of course, he didn't mention that, he wasn't that insane. Not that he thought Claude, or rather Khalid, would tell their classmates about the fact, but it was bad enough as is. They definitely would know that in his timeline, more than one person had died there. The fact that Raphael had been the one to jump in front of a magic attack meant for the Savior King was giving him nightmares that just weren't something that he was mentally equipped to handle. Not to mention that he knew what was going to happen next. Remire Village. Flames. Dozens of innocent civilians dead.</p><p>And still, he couldn't tell anyone about it. Professor Byleth would have every right to know, but he would try to stop it from happening. And Dimitri couldn't help but feel as if that would ruin the entire timeline. He would meet the Flame Emperor there, Edelgard, who was most likely going to try to convince him to join their side. Talking about how Lady Rhea was a bad influence. The worst thing about it all was that he couldn't bring himself to completely disagree with her. Archbishop Rhea, Saint Seiros, had done Fodlan no great favor with writing the scriptures as she did. Expelling foreigners and calling them the root of all evil was pushing it too far. Her anger wasn't unwarranted as far as the blonde knew, but she made an entire continent suffer from her rage.</p><p>If it wouldn't mean that he would be seen as a traitor and most likely killed on the spot, he would have already revealed the truth to his friends. But Yuri wasn't the only one that had his eyes and ears everywhere and if Seiros found out about the fact that he knew who she truly was when she didn't want anyone to find out, he was a dead man. Seteth might be an option, but explaining how he knew of their true identity was going to be a pain in the ass. One he would definitely take if it meant saving both his as well as Flayn's life, but if it wasn't necessary then there was no need to confirm the poor man's suspicion against his own sister. He knew that Cithol was reaching a point where he started to doubt that her motives were as pure as she made them out to be, but he hadn't lost hope yet. He couldn't be the one to take that away from a man that had lost everything once before.</p><p>Then he could tell it to Flayn. She would probably believe him too, Saint Cethleanne was described as one of the kindest and most trusting beings to ever exist, but he really didn't like the thought of burdening her with the knowledge of what was to come. Not to mention that telling her that she would die on Gronder Field was probably going to shock her quite a bit, possibly even traumatize her. Just thinking about telling her how her own father would lose himself in so much grief that he would willingly fly into his own death made his heart ache. She was, by any calculations that humans used, ancient, but that didn't make her any less innocent than she is. She knew what it was like to be targeted, to be seen as something inhumane and exotic, and he just couldn't bear to think about the tears she would undoubtedly cry if he told her the truth. Really, he was entirely too attached to this band of misfits as that he could stand to see any of them break down.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The closer they got to finding out about Remire Village, the more anxious he got. Dimitri knew that everyone was questioning what the actual hell was wrong with him, to the point where Professor Manuela had told him quite firmly to let her check if there was any sign of someone trying to mess with him through a curse. Of course, she didn't find anything, even the remnants of the spell that had been used to get him here had long since dissipated. So all she could do was give him some medicine that was supposed to help him sleep and lecture him how it wasn't healthy for a young man to be up and about all night. He didn't even question how she knew that he tended to be awake at night more often than not. By now it was an open secret that he and Khalid used the late-night hours to train together.</p><p>He also avoided the library like the plague. It was bad enough that whenever he came across the man that would soon show his true nature, he couldn't stop glaring at the man. It was probably an odd sight for any and all Knights that were routinely on duty when they accidentally met. Sometimes he wanted to sincerely apologize to them for having to see that and explain why he was doing it, but then he would be spilling his own secrets just a bit too much. And even the rogue timeline of events that he knew wasn't enough to tell him just when exactly everything was going down. Everything that he did know, he found out through extensive research. A lot of places in Almyra had kept a great record of what happened, but he hadn't been able to read the language all that well. So most of what he did find out came from what was preserved in Fodlan after the war, which wasn't that much.</p><p>For instance, they had little to no information on what happened to Lady Rhea after the war. She seemingly disappeared and was never seen again in those 800 years up until his unfortunate journey to the past. They also had no records on the private lives of king Khalid and the Savior King. Both were supposedly very private, only completely open to those they knew they could trust with all their heart. What was known was that the beginnings of the great relations between the two nations were made with them. Supposedly they both inspired their people to see past all that had happened and open their minds to change. Just the thought of having to actively try to convince people that, hey, maybe these foreigners aren't all that bad and the holy scripture you've been following for a thousand years was written by a spiteful woman who had lost everything, was enough to make his stomach hurt.</p><p>The only reassuring thing about this was that he wasn't going to be alone when all of this happened, that much was certain. And hopefully, they could manage to save their friends too, though he wasn't too optimistic about everything just yet. But Seteth and Flayn could be a great help in convincing the people of Fodlan that there was more to life than following the teachings of Seiros. But for that to work, they would have to tell them the truth about literally everything sooner or later. Logically, Dimitri knew that it was only for the best. But emotionally, he simply wanted to shield two people who had already suffered too much in their lives from the pain of having to denounce their own relative, one of the only remaining relatives they had left too, just for the sake of making life a little bit easier for himself. It wasn't something that he did, it was entirely too selfish to think about his own pain first.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>When the news arrived that something was wrong in Remire Village and that Tomas had seemingly been kidnapped, he watched his classmates' reactions carefully. Not to mention that he did his best to absolutely avoid looking at his Professor, since he couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of pain it has to be to hear that one of the few villages where you were treated as if you were actually human was in danger. He would probably lose his mind if anything even remotely like this happened to the Fhirdiad of his time. Not to mention that he only vaguely knew about the entire incident, it only being mentioned in the personal diary of Hilda, which wouldn't be found until nearly 600 years after her death. By then most of the words were already too smudged with dirt and weathered by storms and age that only the most dedicated of scholars had even dared to try to make sense of it.</p><p>Everyone seemed to notice that he was acting odd again, but thankfully no one decided to pester him about it this time. Clearly, they thought it might be better to just let him figure things out on his own this time around and he was incredibly grateful for the amount of trust that it displayed. It meant that they thought that he was mature enough to ask for their help if he thought he needed it and that was more than most people would really give him considering that he basically broke down just thinking about fighting on Gronder Field last month. Not to mention that it was only a mock battle. No one could really anticipate how he would react once they actually reached the point in time where he needed to fight on the battlefield. It wasn't like he could just sit that one out, no matter how much he might want to.</p><p>They immediately prepared to leave. It would take a few days, especially to get all the necessary weapons. Dimitri felt a bit guilty that he had managed to snap another steel lance and Professor Byleth seemed to only find amusement in it, which only made it slightly better. Any chance that they got to see the man smile should probably be valued as much as they can. Remire Village was already basically doomed, at most they would only be able to save a few people, but it was never going to be enough. There were going to be civilians that they will have to kill, since Tomas had done some weird experiment on them that made them aggressive and as far as he knew, there wasn't any way to cure them of that. Flayn might be able to help them if she had enough time to examine them, but that was precisely the problem. Time wasn't going to be on their side. The longer they waited, the more innocent civilians are going to die.</p><p>So he steeled his heart, knowing fully well that it wasn't going to of much use to him in end. Felix had called him a soft-hearted fool too many times and he wasn't exactly wrong in that assessment of his character. Sure, he could break people's bones easily and even break steel weapons into half, but he would much rather prefer to use that strength in friendly competition instead of the damned war they were getting closer and closer to. And just the thought of the war was enough to leave him wary since he grew up in a time were war really wasn't something that happened anymore. Sure, there were small border conflicts and everyone had an army just in case, but generally speaking, they were on friendly enough terms with each other to not even need any diplomacy past the most basic of courteous gestures to other countries. It was a great time to be alive and knowing that he was one of the people who was going to make it possible was as humbling as it was frightening.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Thankfully, Remire Village wasn't too far removed from Garreg Mach Monastery. Captain Jeralt had insisted on accompanying them, which was fairly understandable to everyone since he too saw that little place as a home. The pain they were about to feel was probably one that even the most skilled poet would not be able to put into accurate words since only those that have experienced such pain would know what it feels like. Seteth had decided to come along too, more as support in case that anything should go completely wrong, but also to make sure that nothing could possibly happen to his sister. Or rather his daughter. It was difficult to remember that these two had to hide their true relationship simply because they couldn't be sure who they could trust and who was secretly going to stab them in the back for being two of the saints. The morbid part of his brain questioned just how many times Seteth had to fight against his worst enemy in order to keep his beloved daughter safe.</p><p>But just as he was thinking about this, they reached the village. It was an even worse destruction than anyone had imagined it to be. Everything was on fire. It reminded Dimitri of the time he saw a neighbor's house burn down, only on a larger scale. And this time there weren't any electronic devices that could be blamed for malfunctioning since these things didn't exist yet. And neither would they, at least now for another few centuries. The cries of innocent villagers reached their ears and he saw how Marianne seemed to flinch with every single one. Not too surprising, it was horrifying to witness. Claude seemed to be the one who had himself under control, but he knew that it was merely a mask he had put on after seeing how both Captain Jeralt and Professor Byleth had seemingly grown unresponsive to anything around them.</p><p>Dimitri himself felt something inside him snap. It was almost like the weight of everything was crashing down on him at once. The fact that he couldn't even save the villagers who were begging for mercy was just too much for him to take. It was completely reckless and he knew he would probably get scolded for it later, but he just charged right into the flames. If there was anything he could do to save even one of those villagers, then that was going to be good enough for him. Professor Byleth, Captain Jeralt, and Khalid were more than capable of taking care of the traitor, so he wasn't worried about them all dying just because he wasn't there with them. Not to mention that he still wasn't the best fighter, so he might even slow them down a bit with his complete inexperience. And it seemed like a lot of his classmates had similar thoughts. Except that they were all going off in pairs of two.</p><p>His lance clashed against the iron sword of a soldier and he used the chance to kick him in the stomach before stabbing him through the chest. Dimitri did his very best to ignore the fact that most of them were villagers that had already been corrupted too far. Not far away from him, he saw Seteth carry a few villagers to safety on his wyvern while Flayn was using Rescue to get those out that her father couldn't. He reached a pair of siblings, no older than eight, and took off with one on each arm. As long as they got out of the village, they could probably be saved. Both Flayn and Linhardt were genius healers with the Crest of Cethleanne. Flayn was one of the saints. Not to mention that they had more people who could help out if the situation seemed to be too dire. Lysithea, Marianne, Yuri, Balthus, Hapi, Leonie, and Lorenz. They were all capable of healing others, especially if it's just some small injury. Anything too big, like an actual infection of whatever it was that turned the other villagers mad, was best left to the experts. Which meant that Dimitri wouldn't open his mouth if asked about it.</p><p>Instead, he focused his efforts on getting the villagers who were still sane and in an inconvenient spot for Seteth to easily reach, out of the village to get them some help. Hilda was seemingly doing the same with Caspar by her side. They were absolutely relentless. Raphael was carrying as many people as he could while Ignatz made sure that his best friend couldn't even be touched. This went on for a while, Dimitri felt his head becoming clearer every time he successfully got someone out of the flames. Apparently, the kids had taken a liking to Linhardt's long green hair. It was a source of amusement for everyone even if no one managed to even crack a real smile. It was still endearing to hear kids call an almost grown man 'pretty' and 'beautiful' while the man himself was doing his best to keep his composure. Seteth was called the 'strong hero', which made them all smile a bit and Flayn was described as 'cute' and 'kind older sister'.</p><p>The blonde had no idea how much time had passed, but it couldn't be less than two hours. They had managed to save more people than he had thought they would, mostly thanks to Seteth being able to carry multiple people on his wyvern. But when he saw Claude come out of the village, clothes almost soaked with blood and his face set in a wary expression, he stood up from where he had been braiding a little girl's hair just a few moments ago. Captain Jeralt and Professor Byleth followed soon after, both obviously in despair at what they had just witnessed. No one knew what to say to make the pain at least a bit lighter for all involved, so instead of saying anything Dimitri simply stood up and engulfed each of them in a tight hug. Only Captain Jeralt seemed to freeze for a few moments before even he relaxed a bit. The mood was somber as they gathered the survivors and made their way back to the Monastery.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Woooh. Depression here we go. Only downhill from here on, I fear, at least for a little while. Regardless of everything, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and have a wonderful day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The entirety of Garreg Mach Monastery was seemingly vibrating with excitement. The White Heron Cup was just around the corner and with it the Ball that would happen. Usually, Hilda would be one of the first to spread the excitement about something this magical happening, but she really wasn't in the mood for dancing lately. Not with what happened after Remire Village. Professor Byleth and Captain Jeralt had both been inconsolable for days, hiding in their respective rooms and only coming out when they were basically forced by those that they were close to. In Captain Jeralt's case, it was Alois who had dragged his dear old Captain out of his room. In every sense of the word too. If it hadn't been a bit odd to witness, everyone would have probably laughed their asses off at the sight of a highly disgruntled Jeralt being dragged around the Monastery by a chatterbox that couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut no matter how clear it was that he was annoying the man he looked up to.</p><p>As for Professor Byleth, she really didn't know how Claude and Dimitri had managed to get him out of his room outside for the lessons that were still a necessity. It had probably cost the two of them every charming bone that they had in their body and some not so gentle lecture about shutting yourself off from everyone else and how it wasn't healthy for you before he came out. It was rather impressive regardless of whether or not she was right in her guess though. If not a bit hypocritical of Dimitri to tell the Professor that pushing people away wasn't healthy, since he still wasn't too keen on letting anyone close to him. Most of their classmates understood why that was the case, it had to be deeply disturbing to know that there was a good chance that you would witness the deaths of people you care about, but that didn't mean that they were any less frustrated by it. Especially Claude. The brunette had taken to staring at the blonde prince with a mix between anger and despair.</p><p>And generally speaking, everything was just that bit more awkward ever since they first learned that not all of them would survive the war that would come. It had been shocking enough that even Raphael hadn't seemed too cheerful for a few days afterward, which was about the clearest sign that he was seriously distressed over the fact that he would die. Not to mention that they were all kind of avoiding Seteth since no one even wanted to see the reaction on his face if they ever told him what they knew. Which was essentially set in stone to happen, they had at least managed to get this much cleared up. Both Flayn and Seteth were a part of their group, at least in their own ways, and therefore they deserved to know what was going on. But this would entail letting them know of their own deaths, something no one wanted to bear the responsibility of having to do. Just getting them to believe the time travel situation would be difficult enough, but to tell them of their own deaths? That was just too cruel.</p><p>Which was why they had almost given it up to fate as to who would have to tell them. But Dimitri had intervened, saying that it was his responsibility to bear and therefore he should be the one that tells them the truth. While everyone was secretly relieved that they weren't the poor soul chosen to do this, they were very much worried for the blonde. He already wasn't in the best of places, so why would he take on that responsibility too? It didn't really seem fair to place that burden on him too, but Claude had already volunteered to stay by his side when the time came for him to explain everything. It really wasn't reassuring in the slightest, but at least it meant that their friend wouldn't have to suffer through everything all on his own. But with their relationship already being a bit more strained due to the blonde's more distant actions lately, no one knew just how effective it would really be. Only time would really tell that.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Apparently, the two idiots decided that they should get it over with as soon as humanly possible. Which meant three days before the White Heron Cup was set. Undeniably a questionable choice considering that Professor Byleth had given in to Flayn's request to be the representative of their house this year. The poor girl had never really been able to participate in anything like this, so her excitement was quite understandable. And it seemed like knowing the truth wasn't damaging her enthusiasm in the slightest, which was a huge relief to everyone, but especially to Seteth. The older man had had trouble letting her out of his sight following the talk he had with both Claude and Dimitri and really, who could blame him? Not only did he have to work through the mountain of information regarding the time travel aspect, the fact that Edelgard was planning to start a war, and that some of the worst people he had ever known to exist were backing her, but he also had to deal with the knowledge that, if the future remained unchanged, he would lose his sister at Gronder and his own life while capturing Enbarr.</p><p>Which only made the pink-haired girl respect the guy more than she already did thanks to that older voice in her head. To be able to keep his cool and not give away anything was something most people wouldn't be able to do when confronted with such a terrible reality. She really didn't like Seteth at first, the green-haired advisor was entirely too strict as that they could ever get along normally after all, but ever since she was living with what was essentially a second version of herself, her opinions started to shift. Almyra didn't sound as horrible as it did not even a year ago now. And not all of it had something to do with the fact that she knew about Claude's little secret. No, instead she remembered Cyril and how well they could get along at times, at least in that other life. He had been the one who had helped her defend Fodlan's locket when Holst couldn't do it because he ate strange mushrooms. Which clearly proved how much of an idiot her older brother could be, not to mention that he had insisted on giving her Freikugel.</p><p>Just thinking about the weapon made her feel slightly disgusting. She couldn't quite remember why just yet, but there had been something in her past life that had made her feel like anyone wielding one of the Heroes relics was a despicable person. Maybe she would find out more about it at a later time. Though, to be fully honest, she wasn't sure whether she really wanted to know what the cause of such intense disgust could be. It probably involved a lot of murder or something. Really anything that was too inhumane for her to support without feeling like a terribly cliche villain in one of those romance books Holst used to read her when she was a child. That was probably where she had gotten her attitude from too, now that she thought about it. Of course, the fact that her family spoiled her rotten was also an important factor, but these novels really did paint the wrong picture of the world. There was no need to wait for a handsome prince that would kill a dragon for her or something. She could probably kill it herself.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The night of the ball was finally here, but she still couldn't bring herself to feel any excitement whatsoever, especially since there seemed to be an almost foreboding gloom wherever she looked. Hilda still got dressed in the gorgeous rose dress her brother had sent her, but she just couldn't help but feel like something was going to go horribly wrong. It wasn't pleasant to feel like that, especially if she considered the fact that she had never felt anything like that before. Even the Situation with that Gautier guy that had turned into a demonic beast due to the fact that he used a relic without having a crest hadn't been nearly as unnerving as what she was feeling now. Linhardt seemed to be in a similar situation, both of their older selves refused to talk about what had happened during their time, but they were overcome with enough grief that she was seriously starting to question just who would die soon. The fact that she felt almost used to thinking like that scared her a bit.</p><p>Regardless, she did her best to shake it off for the evening and enjoy her time to the best of her ability. Sure, there was probably a great tragedy lurking just around the corner, and with their luck, they wouldn't be able to prevent it even if they knew what it was, but that was a problem they would all deal with as soon as the time for it came. Almost no one from her house seemed to be able to shake off the sense of doom though, everyone was entirely too fidgety. Dimitri, Claude and Edelgard did the part that was required of them, dancing the opening dance, but it was clear that none of the three future leaders were really present in what was happening. Undoubtedly Edelgard was thinking about how she would best attack the monastery and finish the war as quickly as possible for her side. That wasn't going to happen though, not for as long as they still had the knowledge of what she was planning.</p><p>Flayn seemed to be the only one who was truly enjoying herself, but she might just have gotten very good at acting. If the attack on her really hadn't been the first time that she had to deal with someone wanting her blood, then there was little doubt in her mind that Seteth would have done all that he could to help her. Sometimes that meant that you had to be able to lie through your teeth that everything was totally fine when in reality you just wanted the ceiling to collapse on top of you. It was the one thing she was truly jealous of. No matter how hard she tried to look like everything was fine, it was clear that she wasn't completely succeeding. So seeing both Flayn and Seteth act as if there was nothing wrong at all was something that she wanted to be able to do as well. Especially since it seemed Lady Rhea doesn't know about the talk. Or the fact that Edelgard was planning to start a five-year-long war that would absolutely devastate the land.</p><p>With a deep sigh, Hilda decided that she might as well leave the ball earlier than she had originally planned. There was no need to pull down everyone else's mood with the gloominess of their class, it wasn't fair to those that had been able to genuinely look forward to it. When she left, she saw Claude pull Dimitri with him to Goddess knows where, but the blonde didn't seem to be too worried, so perhaps they decided that they could use the time for some more training. Except that they were clearly not moving towards the training hall, but instead they were going to... the Goddess Tower? Why would Claude...? Ah yes, probably for that old myth that was still making its rounds every year. But she couldn't even start to believe that there was even a chance that the brunette wanted to confess, not at a time like this. So maybe he wants to try making a different vow there? Would that even work? Sometimes she hated not having the answers to her questions.</p><p>She decided to ignore them, it wasn't like it had anything to do with her, and instead, she went to the classroom. Probably the last place anyone would even look for her. Hilda knew that she wasn't exactly an easy student, being entirely too lazy as that it was even worth mentioning whatever progress she had made outside of the battlefields they had been forced to fight on since she came here. Still, she wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world. They were her precious memories, the times where she bonded with her classmates more than she did when they were having a meal together. There were some gruesome years ahead of them, filled with war and death and bloodshed, but this was their little sanctuary. Something that would probably keep each and every one of them sane when the time came to face the Adrestian Empire for real. She would have to write to her brother, he needed to make peace with Almyra for a bit. They would need him at the frontlines, he was one of the most prestigious Generals of the Alliance already. And no matter what, Hilda refused to let fate play out as it did before. This time they would survive.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another chapter from Hilda's perspective, because it has been a while. Everyone is feeling the pressure of the war and the knowledge of how close it is doesn't make it easier.</p><p>On a more personal note, I don't know if I will be able to upload next week. I'll try to, but currently, I'm not in the best place since I just lost someone very close to me.</p><p>Still, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Byleth knew that something was wrong with his students. Hilda was getting increasingly anxious, Linhardt was trying to hide himself away in the library, Claude was experiencing more and more strange flashbacks and Dimitri was acting more and more distant with everyone around him. By now they apparently had all agreed to give him as much space as was necessary and it showed some effectiveness. Then the ball happened and he had been completely swept away by worrying if he was going to look like an incompetent fool in front of everyone simply because he had no clue how to dance. The answer had thankfully been no, he hadn't looked stupid, as several other people from better backgrounds than him weren't exactly good dancers either. That included the blonde time traveler prince who had awkwardly stumbled his way through the opening dance and had then proceeded to hide in a corner until one of his classmates dragged him on the dancefloor. More often than not that honor fell to Claude and Hilda.</p><p>All in all, he had truly been able to enjoy his evening there. Though one of the few times that he had dared to go out on the dancefloor, he had ended up being partnered with a very disgruntled Seteth. Apparently, Lady Rhea hadn't been too pleased with the fact that her brightest advisor had been looking at everyone who had danced with his younger sister with murderous intent, stating that it was killing the mood for a lot of students who simply wanted to use this ball to forget about the hectic months that had laid behind them. It wasn't exactly helpful that they all knew very well that these past few months wouldn't be comparable to what they would have to go through soon. That was one of the most important subjects that they definitely needed to talk about more. The Monastery needed to be prepared for when Edelgard would attack, but they also had to do it away from the eyes of the archbishop.</p><p>No, Byleth didn't despise her, he simply felt very uncomfortable in her presence and the fact that she kept staring at him as if she was expecting him to turn into someone else at any second wasn't helpful in the slightest. Really, he wasn't a brain dead idiot, he could already guess what she was hoping for, but he had no idea how she knew of it. It probably had something to do with his mother's heart that had been implanted in him when he was born so that he could survive. That was something he still didn't like to think about, as it was a highly disturbing thing to know that his heart had refused to beat at birth and that his mother had sacrificed herself for him without even the slightest hesitation. At least that was what he had been able to gather from the mad ramblings of Aelfred back when they were dealing with the unfortunate situation concerning the Chalice and people turning into literal demonic beasts. The Ashen Demon still hadn't made his final decision as to how far he should or even could trust the man that had accepted such a fate willingly for the woman he loved.</p><p>When he had told his father about the situation, the Captain had been genuinely surprised that his old friend had gone completely of the deep end after his wife's unfortunate passing after giving birth to him. But he had confirmed that he had thought that Lady Rhea might have done something to him, which had led him to fake his own and his newborn sons' death in order to at least feel a bit safer from her unyielding grip of only letting things happen the way she wanted them to. Not to mention that his father had said that he was certain that implanting someone's heart into a baby's chest was something that a desperate archbishop would do. He didn't even bother to question why his father knew her so well, it was enough to know that he did. So that was when his distrust towards the seemingly kind and just woman really started. But the more information he had gathered from Dimitro or one of the reincarnated students, the less certain he was if he wanted to help her when the time came.</p><p>That, perhaps, wasn't a very fair thing to think when it came to the woman who seemed to genuinely enjoy his presence, but she was simply beyond creepy with how much she seemed to look after him. He was, in fact, not a child that needed his hand held at every turn, but rather a seasoned mercenary with a body count that would most likely shock any average person into silence. But in the end, he actually didn't really care about what she did most of the time. It seemed to be as genuine as that woman could be, so he simply allowed her to do what makes her feel more at ease with a minimal amount of grumbling. There were simply more important things to think about than the obsession of the archbishop that he couldn't figure out anyway. And not even Sothis had been able to help him with that. Not that the supposed goddess living in his head was currently available to talk to anyway. Last time they talked, she had sounded like she had a major migraine and wasn't sure how to handle it properly. Could a goddess even get a migraine? Not that it mattered much to him, but it did make him worry a bit.</p><p>____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>The young Professor had been so lost in his own thoughts that he almost didn't hear the soldier that was attempting to pound his door down with his bare fists. "Professor, there are demonic beasts in the Monastery." Almost immediately, he shot up, taking the Sword of the Creator and running outside. "Where?", he asked with a clipped tone. "The old Chapel, sir. Captain Jeralt and your students are already on their way to look at what is going on." Byleth dismissed the poor guy with a quick nod before he started running towards the old Chapel. It wasn't actually seen as part of the Monastery by most people since it was no more than ruins by now. Usually, he would be more worried about his students throwing themselves headfirst into danger, but knowing that his father was there was a relief. Nothing would happen to them as long as they listened to him. In fact, they might even learn some valuable things when fighting with him, things that he simply couldn't exactly teach them because he didn't know how to word them properly most of the time. That was the biggest downside to growing up with a mercenary group.</p><p>'How can there be demonic beasts in the Monastery? Shouldn't it have a strong barrier around it that makes such a thing impossible?', he heard the green-haired goddess ask annoyed. He really couldn't answer her question though since she wasn't wrong. There was a reason why the Monastery wasn't regularly attacked by demonic beasts and it was this precise barrier. Supposedly Saint Seiros had put it up to keep anyone with ill will away from the center of the faith, but he couldn't exactly validate that, now could he? 'Could someone have let them in?', he asked his constant companion. 'No, that's almost impossible. From how I understand it, the only way to deactivate the barrier is to kill the current archbishop. And Rhea seemed to be doing just fine.' That was true but didn't help him with figuring out their situation in the slightest. Instead, it left him with even more questions that he had no answers for and it was almost enough to drive him insane. Demonic beasts had to take priority though.</p><p>When he arrived at the scene, everyone seemed to be already engaged in their own fights, including his father who had taken on two demonic beasts by himself. Probably because he didn't want to risk splitting his students up too much since he had no idea how good they are at fighting. Not to mention that he must have known that he would come over as soon as he heard what was going on. So without any hesitation at all, he ran over to where his father was. It seemed like he was protecting two students too and therefore couldn't put his all into fighting off the threat that was constantly attacking him as if they had nothing else to do. Well, they probably didn't, but that wasn't important. With a wide swing, he let the Sword of the Creator stretch out to help prevent any fatal injuries to any of the three people there. Two were students, so it was his duty to protect them as a Professor and one was his father, the only family he really had left at this point in time. Ever since they came to the Monastery, he hadn't even been able to see their group half as much as he wanted to.</p><p>It never failed to amaze him how easily that sword was able to cut through demonic beasts. It was almost as easy as cutting through air. Or maybe that was simply because these demonic beasts were not nearly as strong as the abomination that Aelfred was had been. Whatever it was, he was grateful that he didn't have to dodge too much. A few simple rolls to the side, a few swings of his sword, and the two demonic beasts were done for with the help of his father. Just in time for his students to finish as well. Just as he was turning around to compliment them on a job well done, he saw a red-headed girl in a student uniform approach his father. They had saved her alongside Flayn if he remembered correctly. Monika? Was that her name? If he hadn't paid attention to her, he would have missed the moment where she pulled out a dagger. Before he could scream to warn his father though, she had already buried it through his back. For a moment, he could only stand there in shock, unable to believe what he had just seen.</p><p>But then he remembered Sothis' kind gift of being able to turn back time, even if only for a short timeframe. So he pulled on that power, hoping against all odds that he would just succeed in saving the only one who actually understood him no matter how few words he used and how awkward they came out. But just when he was feeling overjoyed that he managed to go back far enough to be technically able to prevent it, his sword was blocked by that damned Solon they had met at Remire Village. It seemed like the man knew fully well about his ability to turn back time, which probably meant that he knew about Sothis. None of that mattered though, he just kept trying to turn back the clock to save his father. It never made a difference and soon enough, he felt exhaustion pull at his very soul. He knew that he had reached his limit. If he tried to rewind time any more, he would probably die himself. So instead he simply ran to his father, to be able to hold him close to himself in his last few moments. There was nothing he could do to save him, so he could at least stay with him. The tears were something even he hadn't expected.</p><p>____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Byleth didn't know how long he had sat there, on the cold, wet, hard ground, cradling the dead body of his father and crying and screaming his soul and pain out. He knew Dimitri had stayed with him, disregarding the fact that he would most likely catch a cold from the undetermined amount of time that he spent in the rain. When had it even begun to rain? He found that he didn't care anymore. All he knew was that he was grateful that he wasn't left completely alone, that he still had someone with him who could at least somewhat grasp the pain of losing a family member. He remembered that the blonde prince had carried him back to his room and had talked to Seteth when the man had tried to find him to ask just what exactly happened. And all he could think of was that he was so incredibly lucky to have such caring students. Lady Rhea visited him, telling him that she felt sorry for his loss and he had to keep a tight hold on himself not to scoff. What did she actually know about his pain?</p><p>His students came to visit him too. Ignatz brought him a painting he had done of his father and himself, causing more tears to spill from his eyes. But he was so incredibly grateful for this. At least he wouldn't be able to forget his father's face now. Claude came by with a book, saying he had found it inside the Captains' room. Probably the thing he had mentioned to him not too long ago. He simply allowed Claude to take a look at it first. Lorenz brought tea that was supposed to help calm him, Hilda came with gossip, Linhardt with solidarity and a few books to keep his mind occupied, Caspar with his sincere condolences and the offer to take care of anything that he needed, Lysithea brought cake with her, which honestly surprised him, Marianne simply held him while he cried and told him that he was not alone, Constance and Hapi brought a few different trinkets they found, Yuri promised to use his spies to find out where the bastards were hiding, Balthus came to try and lighten the mood with anecdotes of his past.</p><p>He was incredibly grateful to each and every one of them. But Leonie and Alois were the most painful but at the same time the only two people who genuinely cared about his father as much as he did. They cried together, sharing memories of Jeralt Eisner and making sure they never forgot just how precious he was to them. Raphael helped him to get back on his feet by slowly coaxing him out of his room. He almost forgot that the big guy also lost his parents. It was almost as if they shared a stronger connection now. Manuela and Hanneman had taken care of as many classes as he could in the weeks he had been unable to leave his room. Seteth and Flayn had made sure that he ate, even if that meant that they occasionally broke into his room to force food down his throat. And Dimitri was almost constantly there in some way. He told him stories of his own father, a man that seemed like such a kind person. He took over a few of the theoretical classes when the other two Professors couldn't and no one said a thing. And, as embarrassing as it had been for both of them, he had been singing the song his father had sung to him when his mother had died with a more fitting text whenever he asked. His students really were the best.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That chapter was almost physically painful to edit. I'm just glad that I wrote it months ago. Hope you enjoyed it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yuri did his best to find those damned bastards that had dared to kill such an esteemed member of the Knights of Seiros. Not only because Lady Rhea was getting more and more furious with each day that passed that nothing was found, though it was certainly helpful, he was still too attached despite knowing that she wasn't as good of a person as he had thought, but mostly because the Professor was his friend. He never liked to see the people he considered close to him suffer. It made him feel like he had failed. This was something he had rarely been confronted with before and now he could confidently say that it was the worst thing to experience. It didn't matter that he knew that he couldn't have stopped it regardless of what he did. It still felt like he should have tried everything he could. But no one knew as well as he did that blaming himself still wouldn't undo the events that had transpired. And so he could do the only thing that was possible in that situation. He sent out all his spies and trackers to find those two and help his new friend get his revenge.</p>
<p>He wasn't a good person, no matter how many times Balthus or the children of Abyss tried to tell him otherwise, but he was a loyal friend. And he never forgot the debts he still had open, one of which coincidentally was still owed to Professor Byleth Eisner and his ragtag team of students that he considered his friends as well. Not to mention that he was now a part of that group and for once he didn't feel judged for his upbringing or his strange behavior, because none of them were quite what one would expect from a bunch of spoiled nobles, middle-class merchants, and fighting obsessed commoners. And no, he wasn't trying to help these people out of the goodness of his heart and he would deny that until the day he died, thank you very much. He was merely doing this because he owed a debt and there were some rather fascinating characters in this class. Who else could say that they had attended class with a royal in hiding, three people who had memories of an alternate reality that included said royalty, a time-traveling naive blonde who had unintentionally become part of the royal family, and the Ashen Demon himself?</p>
<p>And then there was the fact that Lady Rhea was becoming more and more suspicious. No matter what happened, she tried her best to always know what the new Professor was doing, disregarding that the poor man was probably still confused as hell as to why he was suddenly offered a teaching position at a prestigious academy. And now he was deeply hurt, having lost his father, the only family he had ever known. Yuri was aware of the fact that Seteth was doing his best to keep the archbishop as far away from Professor Byleth as possible, clearly agreeing with their opinion that she wouldn't be any help regarding the young teacher's mental well-being. Not to mention that she was genuinely becoming more and more domineering, demanding that any little action gets reported back to her. Well, he wasn't about to betray the trust that was placed in him by Professor Eisner, so she can see where she gets new spies. As long as she was planning something that seemed even slightly harmful. She was waiting for something, so let her wait.</p>
<p>That didn't deter him from doing what he wanted to, regardless of the fact that he was probably going to be yelled at for helping someone who didn't have any kind of authority over him. Lady Rhea was just going to have to accept that he was more than a simple man that would follow any of her orders without thinking about them at all. Perhaps at one time, he wouldn't have questioned it at all. But times changed and he was no longer blind enough to not see the damage that would be inflicted if he did abide by every command without so much as putting another thought into it. Back then he had done so in the firm belief that it was the only way to keep everyone in Abyss safe from Aelfric. Now he knew better and he had a support group of capable fighters who would most likely help out if there was any sign of trouble for the innocent civilians living their life underground. The violet haired man was looking forward to a future where none of them would have to live there anymore, but that was most likely still a bit off. There was hope though, in the form of Claude and Dimitri. These two had the capability to change Fodlan forever if they truly wanted to.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>It took his spies five days to locate the enemy. Most of their class had wanted to rush in there immediately, forgetting any and all strategy and the fact that this might very well be a trap set up by these despicable people. In moments like these, Yuri saw just how capable of a leader Claude was when he put his mind to it. And with Dimitri staying relatively collected as well, no one argued against the decision that they would first make a plan. Just in case something went terribly wrong. There was some uncertainty as to how they should approach the situation, which wasn't surprising at all since in the end almost all of them were barely counted as adults, some like Lysithea were even seen as kids, but they managed to come up with something that was at least somewhat feasible. Mostly thanks to Linhardt and Hilda's older versions showing themselves and explaining what they remembered from that fight, while very obviously leaving certain things out so as to not endanger the timeline too much, and Dimitri's hazy knowledge of what transpired.</p>
<p>They split into different teams, each led by someone they all trusted. Professor Byleth himself would lead the direct attack and Yuri was glad to be in that group. Claude would be in charge of the left flank while Dimitri was going to the right. None of them thought it was necessary to have a group that protected their backs since Linhardt and Marianne were quite capable as it was, but in the end, they decided that Raphael and Caspar would stay with them. They couldn't allow anything to happen to them after all or else they might as well not attack at all. Yuri and Lysithea both made sure that they were able to use their healing spells if it came to it and even Balthus was doing his best to be able to cast it more than two times. It was perhaps a bit overcautious, but he would never mention that. None of them really knew their enemy, except for Hilda, Claude, and Linhardt, and even they didn't have the full picture just yet, so the only option was to be as careful as they could. Losing more people so soon wasn't something they were eager to experience, especially with their anxiety already as high as it was what with the knowledge they had.</p>
<p>It was their not talked about secret fear that they would actually make things much worse, but then they remembered that apparently there had already been a world where they had been beaten too badly. It was silently encouraging but not worth the pain that flashed across the faces of those that remembered just how exactly it had ended in that world. The nervous energy was still there though, and he doubted that it would ever go away. At least not until they were already well within the war itself. Then they would be too busy fighting for their survival as that they could actually still worry about things like that. Maybe they should take a day to just talk about how they were going to handle this. Especially since they knew that Almyra was going to be a key factor in winning, thanks to Dimitri's obsession with history, but they still weren't certain that they would even get the support they so desperately would need. Yuri knew that, if he were in the position that the King of Almyra would be in, he would not send his men to die. Not on foreign soil at the very least.</p>
<p>The violet haired man would never admit it, but he was getting more and more nervous the closer they came to officially finding out what Edelgard's plan was. She was a smart young woman and in another universe, she would have made a fantastic ruler, so it was very unfortunate that she believed the nonsensical lies that Argatha and its people had been instilling in her ever since she was a child. For a moment he had thought about confronting her on his own, he had a network of spies, after all, it wasn't that unbelievable that he would have found out sooner than others, but he had decided against it. He knew that Dimitri had wanted to talk to her as well, to see if he could perhaps change her mind on the necessity of war, but he hadn't. Probably because he thought that it would mess with the timeline too much and he most likely wouldn't even be wrong in that assumption. In his time, she had already become an evil emperor that had tried to unite all of Fodlan under her rule. And from what he had heard, she had used some truly disgusting means to reach that goal. There was no need to feel pity for her, she had already chosen her own path in life and no one would be able to change it. That was the way life worked.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>The attack itself had been planned for the end of the month. Dimitri and Claude had argued endlessly with Lady Rhea, receiving support from the other Professors as well as Seteth and Flayn. In the end, she really had no other choice but to give in to their demands to take care of this situation by themselves. They all had proven that they were capable, multiple times even, so no one was batting an eye when they headed out in full gear, ready to repay the favor of killing them for Captain Jeralt Eisner. Monika had once been a student at the Academy, but they had deducted that the woman who had returned in her stead wasn't the real deal but instead an imposter that had been sent to cause as much chaos as possible. They had to hand it to Argatha, they were scarily efficient in taking care of any and all potential threats to their supreme rule that they wanted to establish. And for that to be successful there were three major forces that needed to be eliminated. Captain Jeralt was one of them, the other two were Lady Rhea and Professor Byleth.</p>
<p>It made sense to all of them why they would try to kill both father and son in one strike, but they clearly had failed that goal and had to be placated with having achieved only one of their kills. It made Yuri unreasonably angry to think about the fact that someone was actively trying to kill the Professor, mostly because the man was too kind as that he thought anyone would ever want to harm him. Sure, he had been the Ashen Demon, and adjusting to his new job as a teacher had to have been difficult, but the other man had managed that with a grace few possessed in the face of such a challenge. There was clearly nothing but respect for the man on the staff and even the Knights of Seiros had begun to look to him for directions when Alois wasn't available. Which brought his thoughts back to the matter at hand. Alois had insisted that he was allowed to tag along since he was so close to the Captain and had genuinely loved him as if the two had been brothers. None of them had had the heart to deny him that simple request, especially not Byleth. He understood the desire for revenge most, after all, followed by Alois and Leonie.</p>
<p>That meant that they had to change their plans slightly though, which ended with Yuri giving up his position on the front to instead help defend their healers. He would never stand in the way of a man that wanted revenge for his fallen brother as he himself had been willing to do unspeakable things once his own people were threatened. Not to mention that the grateful smile and the tears that the older Knight had clearly been suppressing had made him feel like maybe he wasn't the monster some people thought he was. He did have a heart, he just rarely cared to show it because it meant that there was less of a chance that someone would try to use it against him. The violet haired man had made the mistake of trusting someone else so completely once and it had ended with those that had been closest to him, including his dear mother, being used as a means to blackmail him and make him hurt the friends that had been by his side for years. And while he did trust his classmates and the Professor, the Knights of Seiros were a completely different matter.</p>
<p>In the end, his position made it so that he saw very little action on the battlefield. There were the occasional soldiers that broke through and the one demonic beast, but after that, they had their peace apart from having to use their healing spells every once in a while to help their classmates out of a difficult situation. Out of the corner of his eye, he had seen Seteth dip in and out of action, mostly hidden from the view of the enemy. They all had a good chuckle about that since Lady Rhea had explicitly forbidden him to go here. But it seemed that the man was truly incapable of staying away from his sister to protect her himself. There had to be a deeper reason for that, but who was he to dig through the difficult past of a man that clearly just wanted to live his life in peace? He wasn't heartless after all. Though he did hear the man let out a gasp once, approximately at the same time that Professor Byleth came out of whatever place he had been sent to. Everyone else had nearly lost their mind when they had finally noticed that the Professor was gone, but he hadn't been too worried. The man knew how to take care of himself and he was proven right.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>The aftermath of that battle in the woods was difficult to deal with. Sure, Professor Byleth and the other two had gotten the revenge they had so desperately wanted, but it still couldn't fill the void in their hearts. Nothing ever would, Yuri was very aware of that fact, but they still had to move on with their lives. Otherwise, they might just as well stab themselves right now and put the misery behind them. Lady Rhea had been enraged when Seteth had openly come back with them, but the other man had stood there silently with a furious expression on his face. Something that had to do with the Professor, no doubt about it. One couldn't just change their hair color as they wished and yet it had happened to him. Flayn seemed to have become a bit more wistful, looking at Byleth as if he had answers to questions she had been asking herself all her life. It was actually pretty unnerving to think about. They knew something was up and refused to tell them, saying that there was no way to be certain until Byleth was ready to confirm it.</p>
<p>And so life continued on in the next week. They were slowly adjusting to the new routine that was settling in now that everything was done. Except for the fact that they were all very obviously ignoring the fact that there was something looming not too far in the future. But for now, they allowed themselves a bit of freedom. For no other reason than to enjoy their youth for as long as they can, because soon enough they will all become very busy with preparations. Ignatz even managed to paint the entire class and Seteth. It was a gorgeous work of art that showed them all as they really are. Dimitri seemed to have recognized it and the smile that had been on his face as he had told Ignatz about how this was one of his favorite paintings from an early age was so brilliant that it almost hurt to look at. It seemed like they were normal students at the academy for a while like nothing was bothering them and they were simply forging bonds that would last a lifetime. And that wasn't exactly wrong. Especially for Yuri himself since he wasn't used to being so included in group activities.</p>
<p>But then, eight days after they had managed to get rid of Kronya and Solon, there was an earthquake, followed by a rift in the sky. It was already late, which meant that most people weren't even able to see what was happening, but their entire class was gathering there to make sure that it wasn't anything dangerous. No one had expected that two young men would come tumbling out of the rift, one with bright red hair, the other with dark blue hair and a constant frown on his face. And Dimitri's face visibly lost all color within a minute. "Felix? Sylvain? What are you guys doing here?" That at least answered the question of whether he knew them or not. Felix and Sylvain were names that they had heard before in the countless stories that the blonde man tells them whenever they ask about his past. Two of his oldest friends, the people he missed most fiercely of all his friends, were suddenly here. Thanks to a similar spell to the one that had brought Dimitri here no doubt. For a moment, no one knew how to react. This was a dangerous situation, one they had no control over. And then absolute chaos erupted.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were a few seconds after he had blurted out his questions where Dimitri himself almost couldn't believe what had just escaped his mouth. But there was no doubt about it, the two people who were standing before them were undoubtedly Felix and Sylvain. His mind was barely able to comprehend just what exactly this meant for him. He hadn't expected to see any of his friends again, regardless of the fact that he had hoped that he might, so seeing two of his oldest and closest friends in front of him was overwhelming. Almost as if driven by impulse, he felt his body move forward to hug the two newly arrived men. The consequences of them being here would be something that he could still worry himself to death with afterwards. For now, the repercussions of more time-traveling people with crests that were already seen as rare but immensely valuable were something that he truly could not bring himself to care about. They would find a way to deal with this situation, he had faith in Claude and the others to come up with some logical excuse why these two were suddenly here.</p><p>Behind him hear heard the gasps of Linhardt and Hilda, both probably overwhelmed with emotions at seeing more people that they had known in the other universe, people they had fought with and seen die. He concealed a wince before he felt a hand on his shoulder. Professor Byleth, gently guiding him away from his friends. Maybe to let them breathe, that was an unfortunate side effect of his crest where he occasionally couldn't control his strength. Or maybe to question them since he was the only one who wasn't either frozen in shock or yelling wild theories at each other of how these two had managed to open a rift that would lead them here. Which, he had to admit a bit shamefully, was a very good question to ask in this situation. It was obvious that not just anyone was supposed to be able to do this, the magic that had brought him here had most likely been very dangerous black magic. He sincerely hoped that neither of these two idiots he called his friends had attempted to replicate the spell. Sylvain did have a certain affinity for magic, which they only knew because he had learned some to spite his father, so it was certainly a scary possibility.</p><p>"What are you two doing here? How did you get here? Please tell me you didn't turn to the dark arts simply to get here. Oh, how did you even know what happened? Or in which time period to look for?" His questions came tumbling out of his mouth before he even had the time to think them through. A mistake, as evident by the annoyed expression Felix was already pulling. No one was quite able to look so thoroughly annoyed with someone after just a few questions as Felix was. The blue-haired man had never been too patient when it wasn't about a topic he found a deep personal interest in. Weapons were one of them, as was training with said weapons, so he would at least be able to keep himself safe in this dangerous time period which was honestly a bigger relief than he had ever thought was possible for a human being to feel, War and Tactics were the other things he could actually outtalk even Ingrid when she started talking about food or Dedue when talking about different spices that would affect certain dishes in a way that almost always went over his head but he listened to regardless because he was a decent friend like that.</p><p>"Alright, let's keep this discussion for some place where there won't be any secret spies or other action movie tropes waiting to report on some kind of evil overlord, yes? We'll answer your questions Dima, but we shouldn't talk about sensitive things in public. Mister Fraldarius and your father would be enraged if they knew about this." Sylvain seemingly hadn't changed in the time he had been missing. How long was that for them anyway? Clearly, it had been noted that he had gone missing or else neither Felix nor Sylvain would be standing here, but how much time has passed? Were the others aware of what these two were attempting? Would they try to do the same, forcing open a rift that would let them arrive in the past? Dimitri felt a bit guilty for the fact that he hoped that the answer was yes. But seeing these two just made it all the more painful to not see the rest of his friends and family. He had been successful in avoiding to think about them as much as possible when he had nothing to remind him of their existence. And the few times where he truly couldn't forget had been some of the most painful times he had experienced here.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>They had all relocated into the Golden Deer classroom after Professor Byleth had written a note at the pinboard that classes would be on halt for today due to a personal problem. A small lie, well, not even really a lie if he thought about it the right way, and it seemed like no one truly minded the fact that classes couldn't be attended for one day. That might have been different if Lysithea hadn't been included in their odd little group of misfits since she took every opportunity she got to study, but no one else in the Academy was quite as keen on attending lectures and classes every day. After all, this left more time for direct weapon training, something which was greatly favored by man students. Mostly because they had never seen actual combat experience before, or at least not the same kind that they had been regularly facing since the blonde had arrived here, so they didn't see the value in team exercises and strategy quite as clearly as they did. Truly, if it was up to him none of them would ever have to face a more dangerous situation than a bandit attack, but he wasn't capable of making sure that happened.</p><p>That had perhaps been the most painful lesson he had learned early on. He couldn't save everyone, no matter how much he might want to. Some people were too far gone or believed too much in the ideals that they had been taught their entire lives. It would be a difficult path to tread, but he had the gracious gift of already knowing that it would all be worth it if he just endured the scorn that would surely be thrown his way. And while he still wanted to save Edelgard somewhere within his heart, his mind had long since accepted the reality that nothing he could say to her would ultimately make her change her mind. Like all Adrestian Emperors, she was destined to wish for the reunification of Fodlan under her empire, something which was bound to lead to doom for her and a lot of her people. Once the war was formally declared and two or three years had passed, there would be riots in Adrestia. War took the heaviest toll on farmers who lost their lands or were forced to overwork themselves in order to keep the army fed at all times. Such things would require a royal decree, something that held an unholy amount of power over the lower class and would leave their moods to be quite volatile indeed.</p><p>They would need to prepare for that scenario. There was no way that he would allow innocent civilians to suffer for the arrogance of a ruler that would rather send her people to die a horrible death instead of accepting that some things simply were not meant to be and talk about what could be changed in the future. But no, that would be the mature way of solving conflicts, and perhaps humanity had never quite been good at being mature when it came to the question of who owns which piece of fucking land. Greed could be endless and the ones who suffered from it were more often than not those that had nothing to do with these questions, those that were only trying to survive themselves and help their families survive. A democratic state wouldn't solve all of these problems, and it will certainly create more, but it was still better than an absolutistic monarchy with a selfish spoiled brat that thought everyone was beneath them. And... perhaps he should calm himself down and listen to the explanations that were going to be given. Sylvain wouldn't hesitate to scold him for not paying attention during something so important.</p><p>The thought alone was enough to make him smile. The red-haired man liked to act like the older brother of their friend group that always reminds everyone what their responsibilities are while doing his very best to avoid his own at every turn. Sylvain had always been laidback and easy-going, with a sharp wit and a scarily accurate ability to read people that left most in awe that someone like him was one of the most talented people in his generation. The older man was able to run circles around everyone he talked to when he was in the mood to show off a bit. Perhaps he and Yuri would get along quite well, they both had a knack for scheming. Felix was a different matter. He never hid the fact that he was intelligent beyond belief, but he used that intelligence to absorb anything even remotely connected to his love for all things to do with fighting. The blue-haired man didn't speak much, certainly not enough to ever consider a career in politics or law as he knew Rodrigue had hoped, but he was incredibly blunt when he did tell you his opinion. There was little regard for other people's feelings for him. If you made a mistake, you should pay the price for it, simple as that. Not to mention that talking about loyalty pissed him off like nothing else could.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Dimitri noticed that he had been completely lost in his mind when he heard Professor Byleth ask his friends how exactly they had arrived here. He saw Felix and Sylvain share a heavy look before they looked back at the young Professor. "You brought us here. Or a version of you, I don't know, I don't care. We annoyed the other you enough that he, that you, agreed to send us here." That was interesting, but not really too surprising. Alright, maybe it was a bit surprising to know that his teacher had the ability to open time portals, but that wasn't the part he wanted to focus on. It might very well be a similar case to what Linhardt, Hilda, and Claude had experienced, only slightly different. "How did you know Dimitri would be here?" That was Yuri's voice, the cold and calculating tone gave it away. "Same answer. Apparently, the other Byleth, is it alright if I call you that?, had been trying to find a timeline where the war wasn't lost. Not very successfully, mind you, so he had to essentially create one. But then he made a mistake which ended up nearly dooming this timeline too. In order to fix the fact that one of the key players was born literally 800 years after the war, he brought back Mercedes and went into the timeline himself."</p><p>That only made more questions pop up in his mind. Like the fact that apparently, Mercedes had known from the very beginning what would happen. "Why didn't Mercie just tell us what was wrong? Would that have messed with the timeline too much? Because I sure as hell didn't appreciate being thrown across time and space without receiving any warning whatsoever." He couldn't keep the annoyed tone out of his voice, unfortunately. "That's not the case. She had wanted to tell, as did the other Byleth mind you, bit by bit until you would have been able to piece together the information yourself. They weren't able to tell you directly, apparently your future is too important as that you could change it, but they wanted to prepare you, perhaps even give you back the memories of past timelines. When that didn't work out thanks to Argatha, the other Byleth awakened a few more of the old souls he had transferred from the timeline that was closest to winning the war before. Except that apparently, one of the souls was either completely unaware of the plan, or too aware of the plan and therefore awakened prematurely, which sped up the process of needing to awaken the others significantly."</p><p>At that Linhardt looked a bit guilty, but the old pain in his eyes was a clear indicator that they were currently talking to said overeager soul. "Then, are there just the three of us who have these reawakened souls or whatever?" The green-haired man shot a grateful look to Hilda that made the rest of the chuckle, Dimitri included. "No, there are six in total. The other three seem to still be asleep or on the verge of waking up. Not to mention that they are currently still in the Black Eagles by all accounts, so we really have no clue. Perhaps they would seek you guys out if they knew what was going on, but making such information public doesn't seem like a smart idea. The other Byleth was also vehemently against telling us just who exactly the other three are." That would undoubtedly complicate things, but it was nothing they couldn't deal with in due time. They would simply have to wait and observe who of the Black Eagle students were behaving out of the ordinary. After all, Linhardt had apparently also begun acting less like himself when his soul had first reawakened. That information was only available to them thanks to Caspar.</p><p>They finished their semi-interrogation when the sun was starting to set and everyone was noticing the fact that they were indeed still human and therefore had to get some food into their stomachs. Seteth left with Flayn and the promise that he would set Felix and Sylvain as students of the Officer Academy and part of the Golden Deer, which none of them had any objections on. Dimitri could have hugged the man if it wouldn't be completely inappropriate for him to do something like that. And the fact that Felix would probably break his arm or something if he tried to hug him more than once a day. His best friend had never been too comfortable with physical contact, or affection in general really. Perhaps that was due to the knowledge he had about his family's past, which really was something he didn't like to think about, or it was because of the way he was raised. Glenn had been the primary caretaker for both of them after their mothers died and their fathers were busy, which happened more often than he liked to admit. And Glenn had never been good at showing affection either. So he was very surprised, and very pleased, when Felix took the initiative to hug him instead. "I'm glad you're alright, you absolute moron. We are going to have a discussion about accepting things from strangers when everything is done." Sylvain seemed unable to hide the laugh that wanted to come out and Dimitri smiled serenely. He would deal with a thousand lectures if it meant having his friends back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A small explanation of how Felix and Sylvain got to the past. Don't worry, we will see them annoying Byleth in a flashback when the rest of the Blue Lions get the spotlight again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and have a nice day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone managed to calm down in the next week after the two strangers arrived. That didn't stop Lysithea or Linhardt from overwhelming them with questions Dimitri had been unwilling to answer, but it seemed like neither of these two minded it too much. Honestly, that had to be something he was grateful for. It was difficult enough to explain to Lady Rhea why there were suddenly two more students in the Academy, but Seteth knew that he had dealt with much more extreme problems before. Seiros was acting quite strange, even for herself, but she had not yet reached the point where she was becoming completely unreasonable. So a simple excuse that Felix and Sylvain were old friends of prince Dimitri had been enough to placate her for now. It would most likely not last very long since none of them could afford to keep what had happened until now a secret from her forever, but they had agreed that they would wait for a better time. Unfortunately, that meant that his dear sister was insistent on going down into the Holy Mausoleum and letting the new Professor sit on mother's old throne. His mind rebelled against the possible explanations for that, one less ethically supportable than the next.</p>
<p>It had worried him so much in fact, that he had taken to writing their brother Indech. He had hidden himself away for so long now, but he was still more sociable and less angry than Macuil. Remembering the fight they had had all those years ago was more than enough to make him feel uneasy. It would be best if they could gather together once more, just like they did in the first war, but such a thing was unlikely to happen. Too many bridges might have been burned by both Seiros and Macuil to ever allow any reconciliation whatsoever. Indech might be swayed to help out if he allowed Flayn to talk to him and if his guess as to what Seiros had been up to was right. However, he did not want to put his beloved brother into such harm's way ever again. It had taken him so long to recover from the wounds he received last time, both physical and mental, that he was hesitant in ever asking him to fight again. They could certainly win the war that would come as they are now, but it would not be a certain and fluid victory. Not like the one they needed at least, that much was something he could almost guarantee. And that was a headache he felt coming already.</p>
<p>So Seteth resolved himself to not ask for either of his brothers' help as of now, but if it seemed like they had the need for the extra manpower they would bring with them, he would have to ask. But until then, he could let them live the lives they had chosen for themselves. As for Seiros, well, he would deal with her with the same practiced ease he had been using during his time at Garreg Mach Monastery. She was going to throw a fit once she knew what was happening and there was a chance that she would momentarily lose her mind over it, but those were problems the future him could still deal with. For now, preparing the defenses of the Monastery in secret was far more important than dealing with his little sister's terrible temper. Protecting those that would need their protection had to be a priority. So he selected a few trusted knights, told them that he had uncovered a secret plot against the Church in general and the archbishop in particular, and sent them on their way to start evacuating as many villages as they could, given the short time frame he had to work with. He had stressed the point that none of it should ever reach Seiros' ears because it would cause her to lose her focus during such an important time.</p>
<p>The green-haired Nabatean felt a bit guilty for essentially lying to men that were so loyal to his sister, but it had to be done in order to assure that there would be as few casualties as possible. Too many would die in this war anyway, such was the cruel reality that they would have to live in soon, so he should at least protect as many as he could, while he still could. Going over the notes he had collected while talking to both Linhardt and Dimitri to see how their version of events differed, he had managed to make a somewhat decent plan to defend their base. Of course, he did not believe for even a second that things were going to go according to his plan, simply because there were too many factors he could still not plan ahead for. Rhea's, Seiros', reaction was unfortunately one of them. And as someone who had experienced the way her temper could flare so easily when she felt like she had been wronged, anything could happen in this fight. Not to mention that both Dimitri and Linhardt had stressed the point that his sister would go missing during or immediately after the battle. It would shatter the Knights of Seiros if he wasn't careful enough.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Seteth hadn't noticed how much time he had spent in his office until his dear daughter, his pride, Cethleann had come in to remind him to go to bed and stop worrying his head so much. He wished that he could share her optimism, but time had made him much more cynical than he would like to admit. One of the many downsides of belonging to a race that could, theoretically, live forever. He had seen how quickly tragedy could strike after all, and it was not something he was keen on experiencing again. The world had no need to see another slaughter quite like the one on that fateful day in Zanado, now adequately nicknamed the red canyon. Cichol was fully aware of the fact that he had been lucky to not have been present back then, too caught up in spending time with his beloved wife and watching his dear daughter grow up. She reminded him so much of his wife sometimes that he could not help but feel the old pain of losing her, of nearly losing their daughter too, and let it overwhelm him. Rare were the days on which he openly showed his emotions even to those he was close to, rarer still the days where he could bring himself to talk about what he had lost with the few who could understand his pain well enough.</p>
<p>It may have been the reason why he had not shown too much of a sign when he heard that Flayn had died in Dimitri's known future despite the fact that something inside him had been broken at that moment. If things would go his way, his daughter would stay as far away from any battlefield, let alone Gronder Field. But alas, she was as stubborn as he could be and he was not someone who liked to deny her a wish. So the only thing he could reasonably do was to follow her onto the battlefield himself and trust her newfound friends that they would do whatever they could to spare her the fate that would await her otherwise. Seteth had overheard Dimitri and Claude trying to plan around crossing Gronder Field, coming up with various other strategies that, while they would take longer and were in some ways more dangerous, would potentially trick fate into following the path they wished. It was perhaps a foolish hope that such a thing could be avoided, but he found himself grateful for the attempt nonetheless. His other self had thrown himself into the enemy lines at Enbarr in Dimitri's future and he knew that it would be his choice as well if they were unsuccessful.</p>
<p>With a shake of his head, he brought himself out of the dreadful thoughts that were threatening to cause an instability within his mind and instead focused on the preparations that would be necessary for the Holy Mausoleum. Once they had a moment to so much as clear their minds and take a breath, he would question Seiros about what she had been doing for the past few centuries. Somewhere deep within his mind he already thought that he might know the answer, but he wanted to believe that his sister, one of the few remaining siblings he had left, would not resort to such drastic measures. But then again, the whole problem with the Chalice of Beginning had been her fault as well, something which very well could have been used against them if it had entered more dangerous hands than the Aelfric's. The man had been insane and obsessed with Sitri Eisner to the point where he would most likely have done anything that would have even had the slightest rumor about potentially bringing back the dead. And of course, the task of explaining just what had happened and how it could ever come that far had been left to him. At the moment he had accepted it with slight dissatisfaction, now he was almost enraged.</p>
<p>It made him wonder just how long she had been using his and Flayn's terrible situation to her advantage. They could hardly refuse her after she had essentially saved their lives. And while Seiros did call them family, he was starting to doubt her sincerity with every day that passes where he learns more new information from either this timeline's future or the other reality. She was certainly less honest with them than Professor Byleth had been. He had told them after they had calmed down from the arrival of Felix Hugo Fraldarius and Sylvain Jose Gautier that he had had dreams of the goddess from early on in his life. It only strengthened his suspicion against Rhea though, as it was hard to believe that their mother would choose to appear in some strangers' dream instead of showing herself to her children after all the time they had spent hoping and wishing for another chance to see her. So if Seiros did something that would have trapped their mother inside someone else's body in hopes of waking her up at a later date, that must mean that Byleth Eisner had been the only successful attempt.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>He had refused to think about this in more depth, the sheer horror he had felt at the thought of his sister using innocent people as experiments that he was sure mother would not have approved had been enough to make him feel sick. For a second he had even been able to understand Macuil's anger at her, the desire to run away and hide from her becoming strong enough that he had actually considered. But he decided against it, for Flayn's sake if for nothing else. It had been too long since he had seen her this happy, and taking her away from her friends would only manage to make her upset and angry. And while he was standing in the Holy Mausoleum, waiting for Edelgard to arrive and reveal herself as the Flame Emperor while stoically ignoring the questioning gaze of Rhea, he found himself wishing to ask his reclusive brother if he had seen the spark of darkness so many years ago. He still might, once everything was over with today, the insight would certainly help him make a decision that otherwise might not be so easy to make. If he was right in his assumption, and he really hoped he wasn't, then he could not follow his sister any longer, at least not in good conscience.</p>
<p>Due to him being too lost in the depth of his own mind, he had almost missed his chance at fighting. It was a good thing that he still had the armor that Macuil had made specifically for him centuries ago, or else he might not have survived the hit that he had needed to block with both of his arms. Instincts took over and he lost himself in the goal of getting rid of as many enemies as he could while not allowing them to take away the hearts of his brothers and sisters. Surely they did not know what the materials used for the so-called heroes relics were, so he could not truly blame them for thinking that they were mere stones. He could blame Agartha though, the ones who were behind Edelgard's sudden animosity against the Church. Professor Byleth made sure to face her himself, making it clear that no matter what she would say, he would not stand by her side and watch her burn Fodlan to the ground. Cichol knew that the young man held little sympathies for Rhea, not that he was one who was allowed to judge, but he was fighting for the common people. And the few other Nabateans that survived, he supposed.</p>
<p>It filled his heart with admiration in a way that he had last felt for Seiros when she had recruited him to take down Nemesis for their mother who had been cut up and made into a sword while the madman drank her blood, granting himself some of her strength. He faintly remembered the other Elites and the hatred he had once felt for each and every one of them. The years had worn that hatred down a bit, to the point where he wouldn't allow any harm to befall their descendants. Especially not those that were fighting for them now. He just knew that if he told them what the weapons truly represented, they would feel disgusted and guilty for ever considering a gift from the goddess. He would tell them, after the war was won. Knowing Dimitri and Claude, his siblings' remains would be given a proper burial so that they might finally be able to find the rest that they had been denied the past millennia. It was all that they had ever wanted for them. Macuil, Indech, his daughter and him. They had fought in the war to get their remains back, to enable them the peace that they so rightfully deserved after such a violent death. In his heart, a decision was made. He would no longer support Seiros, she had proven too unreliable, but instead Professor Byleth and his students.</p>
<p>Seeing them take prisoners where they thought they might be able to change the soldiers' minds was more than he had ever seen Rhea do in all this time he had been following her. Back when Nemesis had been a threat he had understood it, in a way at least, because no one knew if Agartha had a way to control their minds with some dark magic they had been perfecting for centuries. But they knew that at least at this point in time, they did not have the necessary resources to control the minds of thousands at once. Show an enemy mercy where it is possible and he shall find his way to the righteous path eventually, was something their mother had told them time and time again. Revered as though she was, there had always been plenty of mortals who had not cared for her whatsoever. She had never lashed out, never forced them to accept her as a goddess, but instead, she showed them the error of their ways, the damage greed and hatred could inflict upon one's soul. Seteth would be the first to admit that he had not understood these lessons at first, but now, seeing these young people take charge and showing mercy to their enemies, he thinks that he might finally get what Sothis had tried to teach them so long ago.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A new perspective for this chapter. And Seteth starting to doubt Rhea. After this, it is finally time for the war. Words cannot explain how nervous I am. Hope you liked the chapter though.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The official declaration of war was finally here. The proof that all the world needed to know that they were no longer fighting an invisible foe, but instead the Adrestian Empire led by Emperor Edelgard and supported in the shadows by Agartha and its people. There were very few points in time where Clause had felt as nervous as he was now, preparing the students for the upcoming battle and knowing that there would undoubtedly be faces that he would never see again. He had taken the chance to write his mother and father, as well as his grandfather, to inform them of the general gist of what was actually happening. He had seen Hilda write Holst, telling him to keep an eye on a certain area in their territory. The older him told him that this must be the place where they would fight their last battle, but he wasn't certain about this. Part of him wanted to fight Nemesis, who he knew thanks to Sylvain, Felix, and Dimitri would come back to life, at the Tailtean plains. The last time Seiros had stood there and had changed the fate of Fodlan, now they were trying to achieve something similar and yet so completely different from what she had done.</p>
<p>Dimitri had scolded him when he had brought it up, telling him to focus on winning the war first and worrying about such aesthetic things when they knew that they could allow themselves the luxury of thinking about it. He was right, of course he was, but it still wouldn't leave his mind no matter how much he tried to banish these thoughts from his head. So he had brought it up again, getting a sigh and a fond headshake from the blonde. "If we absolutely must talk about such things, then fine. Personally, I would rather have our last fight be somewhere else that wasn't already heavily associated with another famous battle. This way it will be easier to remember the difference between the first war against Agartha and our war. And it assures that no one will ever forget the suffering either war had brought." His tone of voice had been a bit less happy than before, but that was to be expected. They were officially entering a war which Dimitri had already known was going to happen, so it wasn't like they could pretend that none of this was real anymore.</p>
<p>"A lot of people are going to lose their lives. I want them to be remembered by their peers and their descendants. We bear the heavy duty of having to make sure that as little goes wrong as is possible, considering the circumstances. But we will be remembered, that much is almost guaranteed, simply by nature of the positions we hold. But how many people will know of the young man that died on the battlefield and had left family behind that didn't know if they were going to see him again until a letter of condolences reaches them? How many mothers and fathers will be forced to bury the bodies of their children, not knowing if the death they experienced was quick and painless or not? While I agree that the symbolism behind the Tailtean plains would be a great source of hope, it rather feels like we would undermine the people who had given their lives back then." It was rare for his friend to talk so much at once, let alone about something that he clearly cared about with such a passion. Claude was almost forced to acknowledge that he had a point. Maybe their final battle was better held elsewhere, so as to not intrude upon the history of those that had fought before them.</p>
<p>He reflected on the older man's words as he slowly made his way towards the training fields. Many more soldiers were hurrying to get some last-minute training in before the first battle. Understandable, no one wanted to be the first casualty in this war, especially if it was completely avoidable. However, from Felix's words, they knew that Garreg Mach would fall under the entire might of Adrestia. Unfortunate, since it would have made for a great base, but there really wasn't much that they could do. He himself was preparing to return to Alliance territory after this fight. They would need all the support they could get and getting through Lord Gloucester was going to be challenging enough on a good day. The man was cautious enough to know that his territory was closest to Adrestia and the place where they would most likely invade if they allowed them to get that far. The thought of splitting up was headache-inducing, how would he feel at ease when he couldn't have the reassurance that Dimitri would be fine with just his two friends and Linhardt and Caspar? But the Kingdom of Farghus would need to be a united front in the fight to come, which unfortunately meant that the blonde prince would have to go and make sure of that himself.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Sooner than any of them would have liked, the dawn of the first battle was upon them. Lady Rhea hadn't stopped her rage once during the past two weeks of preparations and it had only managed to confuse and even scare the Knights that had sworn to protect her. Khalid would even go so far as to say that she would have lost all respect that these men held for her if it hadn't been for Seteth halfheartedly keeping them together. Though he did notice that he seemed to do his best to redirect that loyalty to the Professor where it would be more adequate to stay. There was an air of hopelessness surrounding the soldiers, perhaps from the time when they had told them just how many soldiers the new Emperor would send. The few remaining Adrestian's that had attended the Academy for the past few years were especially pale. A few faces were surprising to see, like Ferdinand von Aegir and Bernadetta von Varley. The orange-haired noble looked grim, almost as if he had just gotten the news that his family had been slaughtered. That wasn't the case of course, the former Prime Minister was simply under house arrest for the time being, but he didn't put it past Edelgard to kill them for his betrayal.</p>
<p>They were taking their positions now, preparing themselves mentally for the battle that would ultimately start leading them down a long, dark road where victory was maybe assured, but the cost was too high as that they could allow it. He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and looked beside him to see Dimitri smile at him with what one could only assume was meant to be reassuring. It wasn't really working since he could clearly see how nervous the other man was, but he appreciated the thought nonetheless. "Let's get out of this alive, Dimitri. All of us." That was the most cliche thing he could have said at that moment and he was painfully aware of it. But it did manage to get a startled laugh out of the blonde's too serious face, so that was definitely a win in his book. It wasn't worth the embarrassment that he felt considering the fact that he had just essentially made himself the laughing stock for anyone who heard it, but it was something and he would take it. "Of course. We won't accept any other possibility than all of us surviving, right?"</p>
<p>This was the trademark of someone who actually cared about his friends, Claude decided at that very moment. Dimitri wasn't afraid to make himself the laughing stock right alongside him and that was honestly more touching to him than it had any right to be. It was the first time that he felt like he had a true friend, one that wouldn't hesitate to take his side, and yet he wanted so much more than that. It was perhaps a selfish need to keep the one man that had never judged him for his Almyran blood to himself, but who could blame him for this? He had been alone for most of his life, rejected by both Fodlan and Almyra for being a half-blood that wasn't worth even mentioning most of the time. If his grandfather had had any other choice, he surely would never have chosen the son of a savage king to be his successor. The thought alone made him feel bitter, the fact that his father was simply deemed as a savage who had no manners and was only interested in bloodshed made him want to vomit. Not that Almyra was much better when it came to being prejudiced against Fodlan. In their eyes, everyone from Fodlan was a weakling, which is why they had never accepted his mother.</p>
<p>He was going to prove them wrong, both sides. Almyrans weren't brainless brutes who only had war and murder on their daily schedule and Folandi weren't so weak that they would keel over and die the second someone from outside looked at them the wrong way. He was going to have to rely on Dimitri there though, at least for a good part of it. He himself wouldn't be able to represent either side, no one would accept him anyway, so he had to make due with the few people he knew he could put his trust in. Nader was the other one. Though the knowledge that the man had died in the blonde's time was still haunting him, he was keenly aware of the fact that the old warrior wasn't afraid of death. He would certainly try to avoid it wherever he could but if there ever came a day where it simply was beyond his control, Nader was certain to die with the grace befitting of one of the greatest warriors of their time. That didn't make the situation any less dire and they were still definitely avoiding Gronder Field when possible, but it was reassuring to him to know these things with a steadfast certainty.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Firing off another arrow, he silently cursed his own bad luck. Somehow he had gotten himself stuck between a few light infantry soldiers and some pegasus knights. The pegasus knights were thankfully not truly a problem to take care of. The flying squads had always been a bit helpless against a skilled archer, something he had learned to use to his advantage at an early age. Still, the infantry proved to be more troublesome than he had thought possible. Edelgard must really want them all dead if she was willing to bet what felt like her elite forces against them this early. The sleazy rat Hubert might not be on the battlefield, a blessing in disguise no doubt, that man was scarily adept at using his black magic to cause as much harm as was humanly possible, but he had heard one Knight of Seiros say that there was a bonafide General here alongside the Emperor herself. It was never a good sign if your enemy was confident enough that their leader was able to step onto the battlefield so easily themselves. It usually meant that there was at least one nasty surprise waiting for the other side.</p>
<p>Not that he currently had the time to worry about things like that. It really wouldn't matter what Edelgard had in store for them if he died now, he wouldn't be able to make adjustments to their plan as necessary. Sure, there was still Yuri and he was a capable leader and brilliant strategist, so he could at least be sure that everyone would make it out more or less unharmed. The death count would be higher though, not only in this battle but in every other one that would follow. And as much as he wanted to believe that Dimitri would be able to turn things around, there was still that older part of him who knew that such a thing was but a foolish hope. Neither of them would be capable of winning this war by themselves, that much had been made more than clear by their alternate counterparts. "Would you just die already?" He had just wasted ten arrows on one soldier. If this continued, he was going to run out of arrows before he even had the chance to think about rejoining the others. But just as he was feeling the frustration at his situation rise, he saw that someone was cutting a path through the infantry. Not a few moments later, he was face to face with an incredibly pissed-off Felix.</p>
<p>"Goddamn, be more careful where you're placing your fucking feet, asshole. Dima was getting grey hairs worrying about you." Charming, he thought dryly, doing his best to ignore the flutter in his chest at the fact that he had just obtained the knowledge that the older man was worried about him despite the fact that they had locked eyes not too long before he had trapped himself in this damn situation. "Aw, so you came to my rescue so that your bestie wouldn't die?" Claude couldn't help the slight teasing he felt compelled to do. His reward was a glare so cold that he was honestly quite impressed. And a bit scared. He had just seen that this guy was a capable fighter, able to cut through Adrestian infantry as if they meant nothing to him, that wouldn't leave anyone cold. "We came here to help that idiot out, not to watch him die a miserable death. If that means keeping you alive then that's just a necessity to me." The brunette dramatically threw a hand up to cover his heart. "You wound me, Felix. And here I thought knowing you for less than two weeks would make me your new best friend."</p>
<p>He certainly felt like he knew everything about him and Sylvain though, considering that he had always been the one Dimitri had turned to when he was feeling homesick and needed to talk to someone about it. The amount of potential blackmail material he already had on these guys from those conversations was truly spectacular. And something he was quite willing to use if it meant that it would get them to cooperate with him more easily. Not that he thought that it was going to be necessary. As the blue-haired man had just said, they were already there to help their mutual friend to survive this shit, so there was little chance that they would betray him. A surge of jealousy swept over him, immediately followed by guilt. He had actually been jealous of Dimitri for a moment. But the blonde did have what he had always wanted, friends who would sacrifice anything for him in order to help him out, as proven by the arrival of the unlikely duo. No one that he knew would have left their families with the knowledge that there was a very real possibility that they wouldn't ever see them again.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>It had taken him a bit, but he had managed to get back to his class and the Professor with the help of one very grumpy Felix who had proven once again that maybe one shouldn't underestimate people just because they didn't seem like the type that were capable of kicking your ass. Yuri managed to catch their dear Professor when some Agarthan dickhead threw a spell at him that admittedly looked like something none of them could have taken on. Considering that this included Linhardt and Lysithea, that was never a good thing. He was honestly getting more and more scared of them with every passing day. That might just be the older version of himself though, the guy had seen both of them rip entire squadrons of soldiers apart with their magic as if it was nothing worth mentioning. Once again, the surprise he felt at seeing Ferdinand and Bernadetta there too was less than he had expected to feel. Petra had been the only other student from the Black Eagles that had joined Edelgard. Except for Hubert of course, but that man had some deep problems. And no one knew if Petra had had a choice. Claude would bet most of his possessions on 'no' since it wasn't Edelgard's style to let go of a useful ally.</p>
<p>In a way, it made him sick to know that he would not hesitate to do the same thing she was doing right now if he thought that it could be beneficial to their cause. It was good that he had a walking, talking moral compass with him at all times. He would miss the blonde prince in the five years they would inevitably be separated now. But they all had important things that needed to be done. Claude himself needed to contact Almyra and secure their cooperation as well as keep the Alliance itself from tearing apart. Which meant dealing with Lord Gloucester. Thankfully Lorenz had volunteered to take care of his father for them. Dimitri would need to make sure that Faerghus was stable enough to actually enter the war. The constant civil unrest would be undoubtedly difficult to deal with, but he had faith that the blue-eyed dork was more than capable of handling things. Especially with Sylvain and Felix by his side. One was clearly a schemer, the other was capable of intimidating the fuck out of any grown-ass man. Professor Byleth would have to take over the Church. Rhea had indeed gone missing, just as they had heard. He had Seteth and Yuri by his side though, so nothing should go too terribly amiss there.</p>
<p>As for the students that had stayed that originally hailed from Adrestia, they were split as evenly as possible. Professor Byleth got the smallest amount of people since he needed to be the most active when it came to traveling all over the continent. Dorothea and Bernadetta had been assigned to him. Ferdinand would go with him in the hopes that having someone who was as well-versed in politics as the orange-haired man was going to be an advantage for him when dealing with the Alliance Lords. Linhardt and Caspar would follow Dimitri back to Faerghus, the two of them now inseparable. Caspar was simply better suited to see as much action as possible. And Adrestia was most likely going to try to take advantage of the Kingdoms weakened state to absorb them. Well, Edelgard had another thing coming for her if she thought that it was going to be easy for her to do so. She might have some spies in the court, but Dimitri was a new player and loyalties were a fickle thing during such times as war. If these people thought that their chances of survival would be greater with him, they won't hesitate to sell him all the information they had on Adrestia in return for the promise that they would get to live.</p>
<p>Before parting he couldn't help but reach out to the blonde prince. "Be careful, Dima. We don't know what Edelgard is planning exactly and I don't want to see you get unnecessarily hurt." His worries earned him a small, gentle smile that melted his heart. "Of course. Promise me that you'll be careful too. I'm certain Almyra won't be a problem to deal with, not for you, but the Alliance Lords are a different matter. Try to get Lord Holst on your side, he might be your most valuable ally inside the Alliance territory. Definitely the most open-minded." He nodded his head and noted that he would definitely do as suggested. If someone had told him not a year ago that he would come to rely on another like this, he might have laughed and called them crazy. Now everything was different though. As he watched Dimitri saddle up and ride towards the duty of ruling a Kingdom he was never meant to rule in this life, he felt his resolve strengthen. If they came out of this alive, he would tell the other man just how much he truly meant to him already. But until they had won, the chance of them dying was too high. He wouldn't be able to live if he lost the man he loved after he had confessed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Now we are officially in the war. They are going to be separated for five years because let's be honest, they need the time to prepare. Especially Dimitri, poor guy is going to have to run a Kingdom without any knowledge of how to actually do that. The next five chapters will encompass one year each. The perspective will be: Dimitri, Claude, Byleth, Claude, Dimitri. After that, we are heading towards angst. Just as a warning before-hand.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had felt odd to arrive in a Fhirdiad that was so completely different from the city he had grown up in. He could see the discomfort in Felix and Sylvain's eyes as well, so at the very least he wasn't alone while trying to get used to it. The common people had greeted him oddly enthusiastically when one considered the fact that they had no reason to believe that he would make a good ruler. At this time he had no idea that they would be his greatest support when it came to fulfilling his wish for justice. They had met the current Regent a day after their arrival. And Dimitri had never been so quickly disgusted by another person than he had on that day. All the history books in his time could not have prepared him for the harsh reality of the overweight, lazy dumbass that was ruining the country his ancestors had worked so hard to build. Corruption was sure to be an issue, something that he was very happy to leave to Sylvain. The man had a way of getting information out of others without them even noticing that it was scary at times. From there, well, Felix had some ideas for what to do with them.</p>
<p>He met with Cornelia, a woman who had been the actual force behind keeping the Kingdom up and running for so long, but there was something that just seemed off about her. He could tell that she wasn't happy that he was here, unlike everyone else who had placed their hopes for a better future on his shoulders. Now, under any different circumstances he would have called someone like this a wise person, he had little experience with politics even back in his time, let alone any kind of training on how to be a competent monarch, but he had to consider the bigger picture too. If he had been born in this time as the rightful heir, he might have believed that the war was simply something fueled by Adrestia's power-hungry monarchs. Knowing the truth about Agartha made him warier though, so he couldn't help but question the woman who had apparently found a miracle cure for an epidemic some years ago. Conveniently just after the Queen was no longer saveable from contracting the illness too. Nothing was adding up and he was starting to get paranoid. Surely Agartha had some spies in the royal court of Faerghus. It would be foolish if they didn't.</p>
<p>So in a way, dealing with the type of corruption that he was already used was almost a relief. It meant that he didn't have to sort out whether someone was secretly part of an underground order that wanted to kill everyone alive and take over Fodlan for themselves in the name of some justice that didn't exist. Sure, he wasn't a big fan of Seiros' way of doing things either, but this was a bit extreme. Then again, these were the people who had attacked a goddess that had only ever wanted to help them, or at least the descendants of those people. The blonde shuddered at the thought that he might have to see a so-called 'Javelin of Light' in person. They sounded dangerously close to nuclear weapons, something that, upon its creation, had terrified the people living in his time enough to not risk starting wars. The destruction those things would bring would undoubtedly be too big for him to handle alone. And he couldn't openly rely on Claude anymore, lest he was seen as a weak ruler even before he ascended the throne that he really had no right inheriting anyway.</p>
<p>So he spent his first few days getting a feel for how things worked in the Kingdom that was so similar and yet so different from the place he had grown up in. Then he had started taking some serious lessons on how to be an actual monarch since he really had no clue what one would have to do in order to be considered legitimate. Felix had swiftly replaced the head of the King's guard, mostly because he wanted to actually feel safe in this damn castle they were going to live in. His best friend's obsession with anything related to weapons and training was once again coming in handy, not only allowing him to prove his worth with relative ease, but also helping Dimitri develop his rather pitiful fighting skills while he was at it. They still had the advantage of knowing what was to come, of being able to use a greater variety of fighting styles due to the fact that the Fihrdiad they had grown up in had been open to anyone and different cultures had mixed in quite well. It would be their Ace, the three of them had silently decided, if there was ever any need to fight someone from the Kingdom itself.</p>
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<p>Three months went by so quickly that Dimitri could hardly believe it. He had dispatched Caspar to get a feel for the strength of the army while Linhardt would be busy trying to remember anything useful from his past life. Felix was training a secret force in different martial arts, men and women who had shown great potential and surprising loyalty. Sylvain had weeded out more than a few corrupt officers. Clearly the man had been born for something like this but his inherent abhorrence at the thought of being in an important position had held him back in their own time. The blonde had absolutely no idea why the older man was suddenly seeing things in a seemingly different matter, especially since the importance of crests was something that was still very much a thing here, but he wouldn't even dare to think about complaining. It saved him a lot of trouble after all. As for himself, he made sure to slowly chip away at the influence Cornelia had in court. With every passing day, he felt less and less comfortable about her presence, so he had taken the actions necessary to subtly get rid of her.</p>
<p>Adrestia had tried a weak ambush on some of their border patrols once during these three months and one larger push that had forced Felix to go out and help Caspar. Thankfully his two friends were quite capable on the battlefield, one from being the son of a highly respected General, the other from being absolutely obsessed with anything related to military campaigns. The resounding success of those two had raised morale with the troops and had seemingly reassured the civilians that their faith in him was justified. It had made him feel sick when he had learned that he was the one who had been credited with the successful battle, so he had made sure that everyone in the Kingdom knew who had won it. Besides, it was a great opportunity to promote Caspar to an official General of Faerghus' army. There had been some not so discreet inquiries about his loyalties which had frankly made him angry. Caspar von Bergliez was a loyal man through and through. That loyalty simply was towards Linhardt though, something no sane person should be able to begrudge them. These two had been best friends since childhood, had grown up like brothers, so he could understand their deep loyalty towards only each other.</p>
<p>Dimitri himself had been quietly pleased by the fact that the relationship between Sylvain, Felix and him was slowly repairing itself the more time they spent together. He had never truly doubted that they had still cared for him, hell the fact that they were even here to begin with proved as much, but he hadn't been certain how close they could become again. Sure, it wasn't anywhere near the brotherhood they had once shared, the easy teasing that had once come from all of them wasn't something any of them felt comfortable with as of yet, but they could reminisce about old times. At least when Felix wasn't feeling prickly. The blue-haired man seemed more relaxed here than he had ever seen him though, so it was rarely a problem anymore. Perhaps it was because this was something they had all once shared a collective passion for, a time in history that they had studied more intensely than he wanted to admit, or perhaps it was because his father couldn't get on his nerves here. Their relationship was almost even more fragile than the one the three friends shared for years.</p>
<p>Or, the quiet, dark place in his mind thinks to itself occasionally, it was because there was no reminder of Glenn here in this time. Nothing to tell Felix that he had lost the brother he had loved so much, who had been his hero ever since he had been old enough to remember, and who had been taken away from all of them so cruelly. Sometimes he had wondered if that was why Felix avoided them all. How painful it must have been for him to face Ingrid at times, especially on the anniversary of Glenn's death. There was no such thing here, and ignorance had always been humanity's best friend when dealing with uncomfortable subjects. Dimitri himself was well acquaintanced with it, had fled into it too often when his mind threatened to unravel and leave only the most primal instincts and emotions in him. In a way, he was doing it again, though the reason was different from the times before. Thinking about Claude, who was so dear to his heart already that it was driving him insane at times, was something he rarely allowed himself these days. The less he thought about him, the better off he was. At least until he could verify that the man himself had been unharmed.</p>
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<p>Six months into his stay at Fhirdiad were enough to nearly drive him insane. Court politics were ruthless, a part of him had been very aware of the fact even before, but the sheer amount of people who thought him gullible enough to believe their every word was ridiculous. He didn't care if the previous regent had trusted them, he certainly wouldn't. Most of the time, his hunches would prove to be right and he would avoid disaster. In the few times he was indecisive about someone, he simply asked one of his four close friends. Caspar and Linhardt had dealt with court politics before, courtesy of being the sons of high-ranking nobility in Adrestia. Sylvain was capable of seeing through people in a way that sent most running as far away from him as physically possible. And the few that were brave enough to withstand him were frightened shitless by Felix, who took great pleasure and pride in his ability to get anyone to talk. If it involved a bit more blood than he would usually tolerate, well, Dimitri would simply pretend that he had absolutely no clue how his best friend got his information.</p>
<p>Cornelia had started to notice that her influence was being cut short, though he doubted that she had traced it back to him yet. Apparently, he hadn't been the only person to ever attempt to get rid of her through more subtle means, so it was a very convenient excuse. Besides, she was underestimating him. That much was obvious from the tone she used when talking to him, like she was speaking to an infant who needed to be guided by the hand instead of a young man capable of forming his own opinion on situations and people. He allowed her to stay oblivious, it was only advantageous if she didn't know what he was truly capable of after all, but he had to admit that it could get annoying. He had started to make subtle inquiries about Duscur to see if she knew anything. The answer was obvious to him. She most likely knew exactly what had happened but wouldn't give that information out easily. The way she had tensed up after the first time he had let it slip by had been a great indicator of her knowledge, barely noticeable as it had been, so the rest was just for confirmation. The only question was whether she was Adrestian or Agarthan.</p>
<p>Dimitri wasn't necessarily in a hurry to find the answer to that question though, so he had stopped his questioning soon afterwards and instead focused his attention on dealing with the problem of Adrestia pushing at their borders. For now, Caspar and Felix were more than able to keep them at bay, but he feared for the day where that was no longer the case. Not because he actually cared if they invaded some piece of land where no one lived, that had been surprising to learn, but because it would mean that the possibility of one of them dying on that particular battlefield was too high. So he made it something of a routine to check in on the patrols as often as his schedule allowed him to. It had multiple effects from what he could observe. The first was that he could get a good overview of the soldiers and their capabilities, the second was that the morale was bolstered every time that he actually made an appearance and the third was that it helped him with his own training. All the strategy in the world wouldn't help him survive a direct encounter with an Adrestian soldier after all.</p>
<p>Though up until now he had only actively been on a battlefield once since he had gotten to Faerghus, he felt like he had improved nonetheless. Most of his time might be taken up with ensuring that the few good lords were going to support him once he would take over the throne and weeding out those that were directly involved in the massacre that happened in Duscur, he made sure to practice as much as he could. His resistance to magic was still pretty bad, but with Linhardt there to help him, he was slowly getting better at not dying from the smallest spell thrown at him. His one experience in the war was when Adrestia had sent a smaller force to feel out the defenses at Arianrhod. They probably hadn't meant to be successful in taking it, they had sent far too few men for that after all, but Felix and Caspar had made sure that Edelgard would know that they wouldn't cave in easily. He himself had allowed his minor crest to come out a few times while fighting, mostly to garner the support of the soldiers by having them see that he actually did possess a crest. It had worked flawlessly, to the point where many had been more than willing to overlook his inexperience on the battlefield. That would come with time, they had said between themselves.</p>
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<p>Nine months into this facade Dimitri had nearly given up on his sanity. Every time Sylvain and he managed to get rid of another corrupt official there were two more that suddenly came out of nowhere. And he just didn't have the authority necessary to demand that they tell him the truth. So he had written the Professor to ask him what exactly he was supposed to do in this situation. The answer that he had gotten back was as simple as it was ridiculous. Ascend the throne earlier than you should. He didn't know if he even had the support necessary to ascend the throne right now. The soldiers might support him, they had seen him fight alongside them and seen his crest after all, and the civilians were putting their faith in him as well, but he was worried about the nobility. House Fraldarius wasn't a problem, they were more than ready to support him if he decided to ascend now. House Gautier might do the same, based on the lies that Sylvain and he had come up with which had them believing that the redhead was a baseborn son of some cousin of the current head of the family. Such a kid had actually existed, but he had died shortly after he was born.</p>
<p>None of them had even bothered to come up with something for Felix, instead choosing to tell the head of House Fraldarius a carefully selected amount of truth. That the three had grown up together, but that only Felix had been from the future, accidentally being brought to their time by a spell that had backfired. There had been reasonable doubts from the family, but by now they had openly welcomed him into their house. Not that Felix was ever actually staying there, he was too busy kicking ass at the border after all, but it was nice to know that his friend would have a safe place to stay at after everything was over. Well, unless he wanted to return to their own time, which he couldn't blame him for if that would be the case, but somehow he doubted it. His prickly best friend had never been one to appreciate sentimentalities like that ever since Glenn died. Things had been different before then, with Felix constantly hanging around either Sylvain, Ingrid or himself. He used to cry a lot as well, which was something that none of them ever dared to bring up when they did reminisce about the past.</p>
<p>Regardless of his doubts, he had started the preparations for his coronation. It was almost as if his knowledge of the future wasn't a big enough burden for him to carry. He just had to deal with being a King in a time where he had no idea how to actually be politically savvy at all. Perhaps after the war, he would need to learn from Claude, the man was certainly smart enough to know such things. He carefully skirted around the knowledge that it might very well be because his friend had had little other choices than to become a capable diplomat early in his life. It would only serve to make him feel guilty for needing to rely on him so much when the brunette didn't have the advantage of someone who was already experienced with it helping him out. The last thing he needed, or wanted if he had to be honest, was for their relationship to start getting strained because his mind decided that not looking at the younger man out of guilt was the right call. Surely that would only lead to other misunderstandings that could threaten their entire plan for the war, so he pushed any thoughts regarding such things as far down as he could.</p>
<p>Instead, he used the time he had on his hands where everyone was too busy with the necessary preparations for his ascension to the throne to go into the city. It couldn't hurt if he got a feeling for what the citizens expected of him, hell, it might even help him one day. It would at the very least make his royal decree to change the form of government from a monarchy to a democratic republic easier if the people believed that he actually thought that it was what was best for them. No, Dimitri wasn't certain how he was going to sell the idea to the nobility just yet, but that was a hurdle he could probably overcome in due time. He was confident that between Syvlain's silver tongue, Felix's intimidation tactics and his own sincere stand on the matter, the noble houses would be able to see his point of view. Was it naive to believe that? Yes, definitely. He was fully aware of that. And yet he couldn't help it, he wanted to believe that these people would understand that he only wanted to help Faerghus survive in a new political climate. So much was going to change once they had an official peace treaty with Almyra, it was only logical to prepare their people for that time.</p>
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<p>One year after the battle at Garreg Mach he had gone from a crown prince who had stumbled his way through court politics to a newly ascended King who was still trying to get used to court politics. Not much would ever change on that front, the deception that was happening and the amount of corruption they were uncovering would be something that he might never get fully used to. It had been nice to see Professor Byleth again though. He had personally come to crown him as the new King of Faerghus, Seteth and Flayn right behind him. As the current acting archbishop, Lady Rhea was still missing after all, it had shown a strong unity between the church and the kingdom. No one had to know that neither the Professor nor Dimitri himself were very fond of the religion that Seiros had built after defeating Nemesis. It was easier to let the people believe what they wanted to believe instead of trying to force them to see things their way. Besides, it wasn't like they were harming anyone. The common people had been too happy about the festivities to care much about what was happening at court.</p>
<p>And that was a whole different matter. Cornelia was enraged that he had taken the throne so soon, saying that he was clearly not yet fit to be a ruler. He agreed with her to a certain part, but if it was necessary, he would do it. House Fraldarius had taken perhaps the most aggressive stance against Cornelia and her followers. They must have been dissatisfied with her position for years now, but the former Regent had had an extreme fondness for her and hadn't wanted to make her angry. "What a fucking coward." That had been Felix's response to that particular revelation. Sylvain meanwhile seemed convinced that it had been based mostly on her looks. None of them found her attractive but that didn't mean that everyone had to feel the same way. Still though, Dimitri had taken a very vindictive pleasure in demoting her as far as was possible. He couldn't outright throw her out just yet, the public's opinion on her was just still too positive for that, but he could take away any real influence she had. It was only a matter of time until they found her allies and he would bet some serious money that none of them had acted particularly honorable these past few years.</p>
<p>With the help of Sylvain, he had drafted the first few plans to help Duscur get back their independence and clear their names from the regicide they hadn't committed. It had been surprisingly easy to get Caspar to meet up with some of the locals. It hadn't gone as smoothly as they had hoped, but at least they were now on their way to getting things out in the open. Felix had been using the time to investigate House Kleiman to see if they might have any ties to Agartha. They had gotten a few letters from servants, dated months before the tragedy occurred, but nothing that would link Cornelia to him, unfortunately. But it was better than nothing. These letters showed that there had been a plot to kill the former King and blame Duscur if nothing else, so they could at least prove that much if asked. They had also done their best to find out anything about Cornelia's past that could explain her actions. She had been a talented rising star, someone who was destined for greatness. It was a pity that she had changed so much after acquiring a position of power. She would have been a valuable ally to have if she had been the same person as back then, the one who had helped their Kingdom.</p>
<p>And yet his heart was filled with nothing but unease and fear when he had to face her day after day. Perhaps she had been a spy for Agartha her whole life, only showing her true face once she was confident that no one could harm her. Perhaps Agartha had seized the opportunity that replacing someone so influential brought with it. There was even still a chance that she had nothing to do with them at all, as much as Dimitri doubted that one to be true. Whatever the case may be, they had to get rid of her as soon as possible. If they could find a reason to execute her, great, if not, well, that's why every King had to have assassins. It wasn't the honorable thing to do, but he honestly did not give a fuck about honor when it came down to saving thousands of innocents or doing things in the way the law would have him act. Sylvain had offhandedly commented that the fact that he was friends with the legendary King Khalid was showing itself. Needless to say, he had locked himself up in his study for that day. It wouldn't do if anyone saw their new King unable to retort logically.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First year, Dimitri's view. Poor boy still doesn't have the confidence he'll gain later on. It's going to be fine though, even if it is only going to get worse for him first. Next time we'll see Claude and how he's dealing with. On that note, I might need to delay that chapter for a week. I never knew how stressful funerals were until today and how much they can destroy your mental health.<br/>Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
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    <p>A whole year had already passed since they had all parted after the battle at Garreg Mach. His grandfather had passed away, leaving him as the new Duke Riegan, leader of the Leicester Alliance. It had been stressful, dealing with the Lords and Ladies as well as the Adrestian forces that occasionally knocked on their border. Lord Gloucester had been surprisingly easy to handle all things considered, no doubt in large part thanks to Lorenz. Holst Goneril hadn't been too difficult to convince that they were in fact not only fighting against the Adrestian Empire but instead a secret society living underground. "Some of those damned beasts are too annoying to occur normally." Had been his cheerful response to the disbelief that had been clear on Hilda's face. Not that he had been doing any better in that particular moment. "What, you thought I wouldn't believe you, Hilda? You're hurting your brother's feelings with that." The screaming match that had followed that particular revelation was still ringing in his ears. One thing was for sure, he would never wish to change places with either of them.</p>
<p>On a more pleasantly surprising note, his mother had come to visit him. In secret of course, she didn't want everyone to know that she was back. Always a cunning person, Tiana von Riegan was entirely unimpressed by his poor attempt at excusing himself from writing her more often. Nader, sent by his father as a subtle reassurance to him, had only managed to throw him a few sympathetic looks before he made sure to scramble as far away from the mother-son duo as possible. It had been the only week in that entire year where he didn't feel the pressure that came with being the head of House Riegan. There was no need for him to face everything by himself when his mother was there and was clearly expecting him to take advantage of the situation. After all these years, she could still predict the reactions of the different houses like no one else could. A skill that had served her well in Almyra, where she had to constantly be alert to any potential assassin. The amount of times she had saved her husband and sons' lives wasn't countable anymore.</p>
<p>Nader stayed behind when his mother left, as an official Almyran representative. He had never seen the man look more proud of himself than when he had been introduced as such at the Round Table Discussion that month. Not that Khalid was surprised, it was the highest form of honor for an Almyran to be able to represent the King they followed. They had both discussed possible ways to earn the Lords' and Ladies' trust, but had decided against anything that would need more intricate planning. Instead, the brunette had followed his father's advice to just overwhelm his enemies to the point where they could no longer object. Sure, it wasn't in a physical fight as it would have been back in Almyra, but it worked just as well when applied to a battle of wits. So boldly claiming that an alliance with Almyra was needed in order to survive had been the best way to go about. No one had been exactly pleased with that, including Holst who had gotten along with Nader quite well, but they really couldn't deny that they didn't have the necessary manpower to fight both Adrestia and Agartha even if they already counted on the Knights of Seiros and the Army of Faerghus to support them.</p>
<p>Thinking about Faerghus always summoned the mental image of Dimitri with his shiny golden hairy, bright blue eyes and brilliant smile. He wished that he could have been at the coronation, there was no doubt in his mind that the older man had looked dazzling in royal attire. Thankfully, Ignatz had gone and was currently working on a painting. It wasn't the real deal but it was better than not knowing anything at all. From what he had heard from Dorothea, who had been invited to perform in order to help some orphaned children, it must have been quite the experience. Claude himself had barely managed to send the letters he had written along with the small gift. One letter for the public, the new Duke Riegan congratulating the new King of Faerghus to his ascension, one more intimate and private, filled with helpful little tidbits of advice on how to survive court politics. The gift was more of a joke than anything, a beautiful ribbon. They had joked in letters that Dimitri should totally grow out his hair because it would be less of a hassle for him to take of it that way. Not to mention that it would suit him.</p>
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<p>For the next three months, he had experienced something that he would almost call peace if it wasn't for the constant meetings he had to attend with the other Lords and Ladies. The letters that he got from Dimitri were the only thing that he was looking forward to, even if he didn't actually expect that the blonde would let his hair grow out. But he had said that he would and his friend was a man of his word, so he was both dreading and looking forward to the day where he would get to see the result in person. Lorenz had read that letter as well and apparently thought that growing out his hair would be a great idea as well. Perhaps he simply wanted more things that he could discuss with the new King other than their different views on politics. Not that they were so different anymore. Ever since the first few Almyran soldiers had come to stay in Alliance territory, Lorenz had taken it as his duty to try to show as much goodwill as he could manage. It irked his father, which was probably why he did it since he secretly really didn't agree with him, but it had the desired effect of others doing the same. That Lady Judith was rather welcoming to the Almyrans too was a nice bonus.</p>
<p>But then from one day to the next, everything exploded with activity, to the point where he sometimes wouldn't be able to sleep for more than three hours at night. Agartha had infiltrated their own ranks in the form of some minor house, which wouldn't have been that easy to spot if they hadn't sent someone who Lysithea was painfully familiar with as she put it. It was a pain in the ass to get rid of them, but nothing that they wouldn't have been able to manage. But then Acheron had betrayed them as well, nothing that surprising really, they even had had a bet going on when it would happen that Lord Edmund had won, it was simply the timing that had been inconvenient. They didn't have the manpower to spare to hunt him down, so they could only let him flee to Adrestia for now. He wouldn't get very far, that much was certain. A weasel like him would only be used by Edelgard and whoever was backing her for as long as he proved even slightly useful and then he would be discarded. He wasn't a real threat at the moment, but they would have to be a bit more careful from now on.</p>
<p>Then they had found out that Agartha was a city that was under the Goneril territory, a fact which had promptly sent Holst into a fit of rage that had been so bad that Hilda had had to physically restrain him or else he might have destroyed the entire building they were in. So they had begun evacuation plans, the civilians had priority after all. Where to send them had been a completely different problem though. In the end, he had sent most of them to Lady Judith. It was the safest place to be in the Alliance right now. Alternatively, he would have sent them to Dimitri, but the Kingdom was already struggling with feeding their own people. They really couldn't take in too many refugees. He had had half a mind to just storm the damn place, but the logical part of his brain told him that this would be the dumbest decision that he would have ever made, so he didn't. Instead, he wrote a letter to the Professor, mostly because he didn't want to complain to his mother like a little boy and he didn't want to put more pressure on Dimitri. His poor friend was already overwhelmed with the amount of things that he had to do in Faerghus, there was no need to add more to his worries.</p>
<p>And if he sulked a bit more than usual at the meetings, well, it wasn't like he was the only one who was highly displeased by the lack of anything to do. But they really needed to look like a united front or else Edelgard, smart as she was, would take advantage of any strife that was growing between them. They were doing a decent job in his opinion, especially since it meant that both Lord Gloucester and he had to be in the same damn room more times than he ever wanted to. Nader and Holst made things a bit more enjoyable though. The two famous warriors were constantly challenging each other in order to see who would beat the other first. Khalid would never openly admit it, but he was certain that Holst would win eventually, if for no other reason than that he was younger than Nader and therefore a bit more fit. Hilda had no such qualms, openly cheering her brother on whenever she noticed another spar between them. Which, predictably, only made Holst more eager to win. Showing off in front of his sister was his favorite pastime activity after all.</p>
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<p>One and a half years later and he wanted to strangle Lord Edmund on a particularly stressful night for not mentioning the fact that he had an actual demonic beast-filled forrest in his territory. For some reason, Marianne had been incredibly silent during that entire discussion, a clear sign that she knew at least a bit more than the rest of them. That was fine though, he knew that she didn't like to talk about her past and her real family, even if he had no clue why that was the case. So he simply requested that lord Edmund find out anything that he could while already writing a letter to the Professor to ask for his help. He now held Failnaught in his hands, which still felt very surreal at times, but having the Sword of the Creator with them could only be advantageous if they had to kill a bunch of beasts at once. He even spared a few minutes to mourn the fact that he wouldn't get to see Dimitri use Areadbhar just yet. There would undoubtedly be enough occasions for him to see him in action, but those were still so far away. He felt uneasy and impatient when they were apart, so the knowledge that it would still take over three years before they were fighting side by side again was torture.</p>
<p>So instead he focused on bringing down as many of the damn Agarthan soldiers that had shown up out of goddamn thin air. It was a nice distraction, something that proved to both Fodlan and Almyra that he was a capable warrior and a good leader. It would never be enough to earn him the open favor of his father, which would require him to defend Almyra publicly and most importantly in his country, but it would endear the hardened warriors to him. There was still so much tension between both sides that he didn't see disappear any time soon. Most notably between the older generations of the Alliance nobles and the older warriors of Almyra. It was a constant headache to deal with racist slurs from both sides. If he had to listen to one more remark about Almyrans being blockheaded brutes and Fodlani being pale chicken he was going to go insane. It wasn't that hard to get along, the younger generation was more than enough proof for that, but the grudges had been held for so long that it wasn't easy to convince either side to let them go. Too much blood has been spilled.</p>
<p>At least the common people weren't complaining about the sudden increase of Almyran merchants, so that was something he didn't have to keep an eye out for. The occasional fight broke out between two very patriotic merchants but that was the worst that happened. It only proved how childish the nobility was behaving. No one would lose anything from being on more friendly terms with a different nation, other than supposedly breaking some stupid scripture. One that had been written by Seiros, not the goddess herself, as Professor Byleth had reassured them before they had started their whole crazy plan. Everything would be alright in the end though, he just knew it. Maybe they wouldn't all get out alive, he wasn't naive enough to believe that, but they would survive and rebuilt and eventually they would reach the same future Dimitri had been born in. Or perhaps an even better one if he could clear Duscur of the accusation of Regicide. He had faith in the blonde though. Once that man had something in mind he was going to follow it regardless of the challenges that would await him to get there. It was absolutely adorable to witness.</p>
<p>What wasn't adorable was the threat from Adrestia that they would forcefully take Lord Gloucester's territory if they didn't surrender while they still had the chance. It had caused a huge uproar from the minor houses who didn't have a voice in the big council. No one else was worried though, they were ready to defend the Alliance and they had the help of fully trained Almyran soldiers. Lorenz would lead the troops into battle, making sure that Edelgard would know that her threats weren't very effective against them either. He knew from letters that something similar had happened in Faerghus before Dimitri had taken the throne. It had resulted in multiple embarrassing losses for the Empire as the Knights of Faerghus had followed Felix and Caspar into a resounding victory for them. Ever since then Dimitri had been hard at work to try to stomp any enthusiasm for attacking the Empire head-on. The young King might think that he needed Khalid's help, and really wasn't that just precious of him?, but he was more than capable of handling things on his own.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Lorenz had managed to win the decisive battle for Gloucester territory, though it had been a bit more of a close call than any of them had imagined it would be. If it hadn't been for Ferdinand von Aegir joining him and therefore convincing a few of the Adrestian soldiers that came from his territory to surrender, the battle might very well have ended differently. It had been bad enough that he had pleaded to Professor Byleth to come visit them for a few months. They could take care of the demonic beasts in Edmund territory and train up their soldiers a bit with his help. Not to mention that Seteth and Flayn would follow him. And probably Yuri and his gang too. Balthus had sounded eager to visit home when he had written Hilda and him last. He was probably missing his childhood home and his best friend, even if it meant having to face Lord Gloucester who he owed too much money to count. That was something that they could easily take care of though, so he wasn't entirely too worried about him. Not to mention that Lorenz was strangely good friends with him and the Lord could never deny his son anything. It was almost sweet even if it made him want to vomit.</p>
<p>And so, one year and seven months since they had last seen each other, Professor Byleth came to visit them as the official stand-in for Lady Rhea. It was more formal than any of them would have liked at first, but the atmosphere had soon been eased up by the three-way brawl between Nader, Holst and Balthus. They had discussed formal plans with Lord Edmund to take care of his little beast forrest. Yuri told him all the new gossip that he had, including the information that Caspar's father had been defeated by his own son at Gaspard territory. Flayn talked endlessly about the coronation after he had gathered the courage to ask, painting him a vivid picture through her words alone. The descriptions made his heart pound, especially when she mentioned how regal Dimitri had looked despite not knowing anything about ruling. Seteth asked him for advice, which had surprised him to be honest, on whether or not he should already ask for his brothers' help. He could only reply with the little knowledge he had of the other saints in mind, so he said that Seteth should only contact them if necessary.</p>
<p>Then he had proceeded to question both Saint Cichol and Saint Cethleann about everything that had happened over a millennia ago. All in the name of being able to prepare for their own battle that was coming up, of course. He was sure that the father-daughter duo had seen through him but they had indulged him anyway, answering his many questions as truthfully as they were comfortable with. It was more than enough for him, so he didn't ask them about the things they were clearly leaving out. Some topics were not something that you wanted to discuss with just anyone, let alone a descendant of someone who had essentially helped murder the rest of your family. That had been a particularly hard hit for him, to know that the crests that everyone was so damn proud of were nothing more than a statement of shame, an admission of guilt. Nothing had been a gift from the goddess, least of all the weapons. maybe in the most morbid sense, but even he did not want to think about that. They would need the weapons to win the war and it was something that Seteth and Flayn were clearly aware of, so they didn't judge them for wielding them. Even if Seteth had said that he hadn't wanted to tell them until after the war.</p>
<p>It still haunted his thoughts as they went to deal with the demonic beasts, only to find another shocking revelation there. Maurice, one of the 'heroes' that had followed nemesis, was still alive. Even if he was now only a beast, he still had the ability to talk and recognize people. The poor guy broke down when he saw Flayn, guilt clearly written in those freakish red eyes of his. They had all tactfully ignored it for now, clearly there was so much more between the elites and the saints than anyone ever thought. Seteth himself had been almost beside himself, constantly changing between anger, betrayal and sadness. He had begged the Professor to release Maurice from his long burden, but the man himself had refused when he heard that they would go up against Agartha. "I need to help you fight them this time. The mistakes of my past have to be cleared up even if it will not save my soul, Cichol. Do not deny me that much." For a moment they had all seen a handsome young man with light blue hair in the reflection of those eyes. No doubt that had been his appearance as a human. They had left Seteth and Flayn when they were asked, ignoring the sobbing that followed them.</p>
<p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p>Two years had passed by in a blink. Claude could barely believe how fast time was passing them by, it felt so surreal. Seteth had stayed behind when Professor Byleth had taken his leave with Flayn, saying that he wanted to clear things up with Macuil. The way that he had worded it made it sound like he was talking about an old love instead of an old enemy, but he wasn't one to judge. If the saint ever wanted to tell him just what exactly had happened between them, he would listen. If not, it wasn't like it actually concerned him. As long as the green-haired Nabatean was able to find his peace, he wouldn't get involved in it more than granting permission for an undefined amount of time to stay in Alliance territory as a guest of honor. It was the least that he could do for the man that was willing to work with them when he really didn't have to. Seteth could just search for Lady Rhea, for his sister, and ignore everything else that was happening. There was no need for him to willingly tear open old wounds that had clearly not healed despite the large amount of time that had passed and yet he had done so without even thinking about it beyond his daughter's safety.</p>
<p>And if he was a bit more generous than he strictly needed to be, then no one would need to know the reason why. It wasn't like he was only showing a clear bias towards Seteth, so there would be few that were intelligent enough to connect the dots. And those that did were sensible enough to understand his reasoning. Instead, he focused his attention on gathering supplies, mostly food and metal of any kind. The war was going to be long and he didn't want their civilians to starve to death. So things with a long shelf life were stored in the official Department for Resource Management. Which hadn't even existed until Dimitri had told him that he had formed something similar in Faerghus. It was simple but brilliant in its own way. One of the many advantages of having a best friend that came from the future. He had made Lord Gloucester head of the department as a sign of goodwill. For all his faults, the man wasn't an idiot. And he cared about the people living in his territory. It kept the other Lords from squabbling over the position and made the peacock preen.</p>
<p>Khalid made sure to write more letters to his mother, knowing that her support would be invaluable once he had to approach his father concerning an official alliance with the two other nations of Fodlan. It was fine if the King of Almyra sent his son some resources, though he had no doubt that it had already lead to criticism against him, but to enter an official alliance was a whole different matter. There was little to be gained from helping them after all. Almyra could stay out of the conflict, choosing to stand by as they watch their neighbors falling deeper and deeper into conflict. Just the Leicester Alliance would be bad enough, but the Church of Seiros and the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus? It was going to be difficult to pull this off. The brunette knew that his father loved him and that if it was up to him he would already have the forces necessary, but this wasn't how Almyra worked. They needed to prove themselves first, which is precisely why the warriors were sent here. It was with a heavy heart that he watched some of them leave with the Professor. Just thinking about those that would soon depart for Faerghus was enough to give him anxiety.</p>
<p>He had done his best to warn Dimitri ahead of time, no one would be too happy about having a bunch of Almyrans arrive at their door without any notice after all. But this sweet, kind man had only replied that any warrior from Almyra would be welcomed with open arms at his court and a challenge from Felix right alongside it. That little detail had been enough to get even the most seasoned of veterans exited, the tales of Felix's victories already spreading far beyond the Faerghus border. Maybe if they were lucky, Caspar would be there too, it would greatly reduce the time they would have to wait for fighting a capable opponent. When the leader of the group sneakily asked about Dimitri, he had almost had a heart attack. The blonde wasn't a bad fighter by any means, but he wasn't entirely certain that he had been able to keep up the constant training in the two years since they had parted. Instead, he had ambiguously replied that he would have to ask the King himself if he was up for a spar. Knowing his friend, he would say yes if only on the slight chance that saying no would offend anyone. He was going to go grey a lot sooner than he wanted to with this circus that he called his friends.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was surprisingly difficult for me to edit. I might be getting burnt out, but I'll do my best to still update weekly. Stay safe out there.<br/>Much Love,<br/>Angel</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Byleth had no idea how he had survived two years with the company he found himself in. None of them were capable of surviving on their own, that much was made very obvious from the moment that they had set out. They had no clue how to act when being forced to camp out in the open which was never a good sign when one had to constantly travel the continent. Really, he had no clue how these people had become Knights in the first place. Did they buy their position? Because it did feel like they had at times. They were squirmish when he killed a rabbit but had no problem slicing an Adrestian soldiers' throat. It was a bit disconcerting at times. Sothis was proving to be delightful company in these times though, so he was at least not completely alone. Seteth and Flayn had been a joy to have around as well. It had actually pained him a bit to leave the green-haired man back in Alliance territory. There had been some unresolved issues though, and he really couldn't begrudge the man for wanting to clear things up while he still had the chance to.</p><p>Probably the best time during these two long years had been the two months they had stayed in Fhirdiad as honored guests of King Dimitri. His former student had been so lost and through with his nerves when they had arrived that he had taken to following him around like a little duckling. It had been absolutely adorable and even Sothis hadn't been able to stop herself from cooing at the pouty blonde every so often. It was times like these where it was most noticeable just how out of his element the blue-eyed boy was. Byleth had even written Yuri to ask him to move his business to Faerghus for a while, at least until their naive friend had settled into court life properly. In certain moments it seemed like Dimitri was a completely different man when he was separated from Claude. He wasn't sure how he should feel about this dependency that the blonde was developing, but for now, he wouldn't get too involved in their private affairs. It wasn't like their plan was endangered by it, so it hadn't caused any harm just yet. The second it would, he would be there to step in. A teacher he might not be anymore, but these were still his charges, and he wanted to protect them at all costs.</p><p>It were thoughts like these that had kept him awake for countless nights, his mind conjuring up every possible scenario where one of these two idiots would endanger themselves because they only watched the other. Nights like these were when he missed his father the most. Jeralt Eisner hadn't been an emotional man by any means, but he had been knowledgable beyond measure. He wouldn't have stumbled out into the wilderness with only a half-baked plan and a group of untrained, unprepared soldiers at his side. Perhaps it was time to be as strict as the man had been. Discipline had certainly helped their mercenary group way back when and was something they were currently lacking like nothing else. Even figuring out who would take which shift was an adventure by itself most times, let alone find anyone besides him who was able and willing to hunt the food that they needed. Byleth refused to rely on the kindness of civilians, the innocents who had already been dragged into this unfortunate war, so the only option for survival was on their own.</p><p>Another evening, another argument about who would take which shift. Who would cook the food. It was tiring to always listen to the same thing over and over again. A cynical part of him wondered if this was how Dimitri and Claude were feeling every day as the respective leaders of their nations. Sothis found the entire situation amusing though, and her sharp wit was always enough to make him smile. Only when he was alone or with Flayn though. He had a reputation to uphold, as flimsy as it had already become. Many already saw him as a doting teacher who simply wasn't sure how to express himself with words. They weren't wrong exactly, but they weren't right either. He saw no use in wasting words that could be interpreted in many different ways by many different people. Promises meant little to him because words were nothing more than sounds leaving someone's throat in order to reassure another. Actions were what truly mattered in this world. Prove your dedication to the cause through action and it will earn you more respect than the most poetic of speeches. He had simply adopted his fathers' view of things. It was why he liked Alois. The man was funny and capable and used actions.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>He hadn't expected that they would stumble across Indech's secret hideout. Byleth felt a bit bad about just barging in without even having the chance to notify the man, but it was either that or end up as a very elaborate art piece on a sword. Cethleann had gone ahead, trying her best to reassure her uncle that they meant no harm. If worst came to pass, he supposed that Sothis could easily possess his body to create a replica of her own. It was what he was originally supposed to be. A failed experiment and yet not. The irony of the situation was almost bad enough for him to laugh out loud, but it would only serve to make him look more insane than some already thought him to be. It wasn't like he cared what they thought about him, it was only annoying when they stopped listening to his orders until he reminded them just why exactly he had been Lady Rhea's replacement as archbishop. Few things were capable of shutting a group of arrogant men up as the Sword of the Creator crashing into a convenient tree right next to them. He hadn't even been the one to come up with that, that honor belonged to Sothis.</p><p>While he was waiting for Cethleann to return to them he tried to guess how much time had passed since they had left Alliance territory. Three months perhaps? Not much more, that much was certain. Claude had given them a generous amount of money to repair their weapons when necessary. He humorlessly wondered whether or not that money had been taken from other places where it might have been more appropriate for the Duke Riegan to place. Not that it mattered much now, it had already happened. Back then he hadn't thought of it, so he wouldn't lose sleep over it now. He wondered if Sothis' sons looked all the same. Dark green hair, dark green eyes, stern face like Seteth. The thought of multiple Seteths' amused him for some reason. One alone was enough of a menace to terrorize students into following the rules they did like to bend ever so much, so what would three be like? And what was his relation to these people? Technically he was the failed experiment son of a failed experiment created by Seiros herself. Did that make Cethleann his aunt? For some reason that seemed wrong to him. Not to mention that he had technically merged with Sothis, in a way at least.</p><p>He allowed his fellow green-haired companion to drag him through the complicated structure of the temple where Indech had chosen to stay for the past millennia. It was interesting to see architecture that old. Most did not survive until now, save for Garreg Mach Monastery. But that place was something completely different from the rest. A place to worship the goddess. If only the people knew that their beloved goddess much preferred smaller chapels and nature itself. Sothis' commentary had been a huge relief to his nerves in the days before the war. Nothing had been safe from her scalding commentary and plentiful remarks on how she would have designed things differently if she had been the one in Seiros' shoes. They both were grateful that she hadn't been though. The thought of being possessed by a vengeful Seiros was bad enough to make his skin crawl and he wasn't a special flower. He was torn out of his musing when he came face to face with a giant turtle. Or was it a dragon? It didn't matter, really. He knew who was standing in front of him. Saint Indech.</p><p>"So you are the boy who has mother's blood and heart in him?" Byleth could hear the disbelief in his voice and really, he didn't blame the guy one bit. He might look the part of being a Nabatean or whatever they were called, he couldn't quite remember, but he sure never bothered to act like one. No, he didn't know what that meant either. "I am. Byleth Eisner, pleasure to meet you, Saint Indech." He kept a firm grip on his voice, making sure to show no emotion whatsoever. It was easier for both of them if there wasn't any heavy emotional baggage in his voice. "Can I see her then? It has been so long." He shrugged his shoulders and let Sothis take control. In his mind, the only thing he could think about was a song Dimitri had told them about. Jesus take the wheel was the specific part he was thinking about. It made his constant mental companion laugh, even if neither of them had any clue who Jesus was. The blonde King had attempted to explain it to them once. Apparently, it was a religion from far away that wasn't too different from the scriptures of Seiros. He turned out the conversation between mother and son. It would be rude to eavesdrop.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Three months and a new companion later they were back in Alliance territory. Only for a brief time though. Indech had expressed the wish to see his 'dearest, most stern brother' again. It wasn't very hard to guess which of the two he meant since they haven't met Macuil yet. And from the three Nabatean's description that they had gotten, he wasn't exactly keen on meeting the man any time soon either. Unfortunately, they really didn't have a choice in the matter. While Indech and Claude were competing in some sort of contest to see who could shoot an arrow more extra than the rest, Seteth was telling them what he knew about their brothers' hiding place. Somewhere in Sreng, probably. That was always a joy to hear. The people of Sreng were difficult to get along with even on a good day, let alone on one where they came to potentially kidnap their weird guardian deity. Byleth had been there only a number of times, all of them while he was still in his teenage years, and he had hated it there every time. It was unreasonably hot and the people really weren't friendly at all.</p><p>Now, usually he wouldn't give a rat's ass about politeness. He himself wasn't anything even remotely resembling a perfect host. He was usually grumpy and sarcastic, especially to those he didn't know. It was why he rarely spoke. Humans were easily offended after all and he was someone who wasn't afraid to offend even Kings if he thought that they were talking out of their asses. It had gotten their mercenary group into trouble more times than he cared to count. His father had strictly forbidden him from ever speaking with a client again for as long as he was alive after a particularly bad case in the Empire. Good thing that they hadn't needed to go there ever since. Count Varley was sure to remember him and not in a good way. The man had been a cruel and arrogant piece of shit though, so he couldn't bring himself to feel any regret whatsoever over the fact that he had told him his opinion very clearly. The only thing he did regret was not killing the bastard the second he had the chance to. He wasn't going to be a pleasant man to face again. Especially now when his own daughter had turned against him. He was probably stewing in his own rage.</p><p>He felt bad for Bernadetta. She seemed like a lovely girl. But to have a father like that was probably a lot worse than to grow up without one at all. For heaven's sake, she had believed that her best friend had died when she was still a kid and that it had been her fault. Something that he was kind of mad about when it concerned Yuri. The violet-haired man clearly cared deeply for his childhood friend and yet he would let her believe that he was dead for so long. There had to have been some way that he could have let her known that he had survived before the Abyss disaster had happened. In the end, it was none of his business though, as much as he wanted to see his students happy. Yes, he included both Bernadetta and Yuri since it really didn't make a difference anymore when one thought about it for more than two seconds. Only now he wouldn't teach them strategies from the safety of a Monastery that hadn't fallen in a millennium because said Monastery did fall in the end. It wasn't in ruins though, so that was at least something positive about this entire thing.</p><p>They departed for Sreng two weeks after they arrived since Claude insisted on coming along this time. Byleth didn't understand what was so exciting about meeting the grumpiest and most anti-social of the saints, but the brunette's brain worked in ways he would never understand. Personally, he liked Indech best from what he had been able to decipher from their short conversations. The man was quiet when he didn't have anything to say, didn't tend to chew them out for any small mistake like Cichol did, and he wasn't as forcefully cheerful as Cethleann. He wouldn't have any problem with Flayn's happy nature, if he couldn't tell that it was all fake. From the worried looks her father and uncle sent her he had deduced that there was more to that type of behavior than anyone let on. It was worrying, especially since she was genuinely happy at times, but no one wanted to force her to talk. Not to mention that her family would clearly be less than pleased with any of them if they actually tried to do so. He didn't blame them for it, not really at least, because he understood that there were certain things one simply didn't want to talk about. It would reopen wounds that hadn't yet fully closed.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Macuil had been sleeping when they had finally managed to find the ruins he called his home months after they had begun their search for him. Sreng had been as unforgiving and hostile as he had remembered them to be, so they had been very careful with where they went. Their ragtag group avoided any kind of small village or settlement that they came across, mostly for the sake of not having to deal with the clear hatred that would be visible in the people's eyes if they did. Camping outside was much more tolerable now that they had three more people who were willing to hunt food and actually did it too. Not that he had ever complained about it, but it was surprisingly nice to have company in the form of either Cichol or Indech when he went hunting. It felt like they were bonding in their own way, the two Nabateans trying to reconcile the fact that he was part of their family now. After losing his father to Agartha it was nice to have someone who he could confide in when the nightmares became too much to bear. Seteth had lost his wife in the first war, Indech was simply a great listener.</p><p>They picked up a stranger who had clearly been lost and without a clue where he was. The strange clothes he wore told them all that they needed to know, he was one of Dimitri's friends from the future. Apparently, his future self was sending more people over, which was appreciated only for as long as they knew how to defend themselves. That hadn't been a problem in this case though, the tall, dark-skinned man proving quickly that all the muscles that were clearly visible hadn't been just decoration. And so one wayward Dedue Molinaro joined their effort to convince one very grumpy saint to join their cause. Claude took up most of his time though, clearly wanting to get to know the man better. Perhaps in an effort to extract more information about Dimitri that he didn't already have. Sylvain had been too smart to tell him anything and Felix seemed unable to stand his presence for long enough, so he hadn't been successful with them. The silver-haired giant seemed happy to talk about his close friend though, so Byleth had no doubt that by the end of their trip, when they would bring him to Fhirdiad to join Dimitri, Claude would have all the information he could ever want.</p><p>Perhaps he really shouldn't have been surprised that Macuil was apparently capable of shapeshifting into a giant griffin, but he was. It was a very impressive sight though, one he was sure to remember even if they couldn't convince the guy to help them out. Indech had been cheerfully optimistic though, approaching his sleeping brother and waking him up by throwing a stone at him. Byleth would forever deny the panicked screech that had left his throat when he saw that. Who in their right mind would throw a stone at a giant, sentient, sleeping griffin? Saint Indech, that's who. "Indech, have you come to disturb my peace once more?" Why in Sothis' name was his voice so deep? "Not only me, dearest brother. Cichol and Cethleann are with me too. And a few mortals. One of them bears mother's soul within him." The contrast between the two brothers was truly amazing. One sounded like a very annoyed, talking cat, the other like an overexcited puppy who hasn't seen his owner in weeks or even months. "A family reunion then? How lovely. Just what I wanted. Where's Seiros?"</p><p>At that, they all went silent, unsure on how to answer the giant man. And it wasn't because of his biting sarcasm either, though Byleth would admit that he was already seeing the man in a whole new light for it. "Macuil, Seiros will not be able to join us. We have no idea where our sister is right now. Perhaps she was captured by Agarthans who have risen once more to take control of Fodlan." Seteth was a brave man, that much was clear, much braver than he was. For a moment nothing seemed to move, then there was a bright light and the third version of Seteth stepped closer. Except that this man had enough muscles to probably crush someone's skull. Not as bad as Dedue but still quite impressive all things considered. "So she finally got herself into trouble, huh? I did warn her that this would happen. And you are now trying to rescue her?" That was a fairly logical assumption, but not quite correct either. "Not really, no. If we can rescue her, it's a nice bonus. We mostly just want to get rid of Agartha once and for all. They are too dangerous to be allowed to live on." The not-so-new-anymore archbishop had no idea why he had spoken out, but it seemed to work.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>On the dawn of the day that marked the third year ever since he parted from his precious students in this insane quest to bring peace to a nation that could barely keep themselves from spitting at outsiders whenever they had the chance, Byleth stood on a hill near Fhirdiad. They had first escorted Claude back into Alliance territory, making sure that he couldn't cause any unnecessary trouble for himself on the way. It had been a tension-filled journey once Macuil realized that there was a descendant of the ten elites with them. It was a good thing that Cichol never mentioned Maurice to him, or the fact that the man was still living on as a beast. He doubted that even Sothis herself would be capable of soothing her angry child if he ever found out that particular truth, let alone the fact that Cichol had seemingly made amends with him. He certainly seemed less troubled ever since they picked him up, which was as good of a thing as it could be. At least one of them had to be capable of organizing an entire army and it sure as all hell wasn't him or Cethleann.</p><p>It was odd to think about, but their little traveling group was finally starting to feel more like a family than a bunch of strangers who were forced to be together due to difficult circumstances. It reminded him a bit of his father's mercenaries who had left the Monastery after his death, unable to continue living in the place where their leader died. They had apologized to him, telling him that if he ever needed them he could simply visit and they would help in whatever way they could. And if he ever grew sick of being with all these highly religious people, he could simply return to his former lifestyle as a simple mercenary. He didn't think that it was going to happen, the thought of going back to how it used to be too painful with the amount of memories that still overwhelmed him, but it was a nice gesture nonetheless. They had been his first found family, the people who had largely watched him grow up, and therefore they would always hold a special place in his heart. But it was time for him to move on, to make new memories with a new family. One that was so different, that bickered whenever they had to do an unpleasant task, and one who was consisting of the most diverse group possible.</p><p>"Admiring the beautiful view of Faerghus' barren lands?" Macuil was as sarcastic as the day he had first met him, almost four months ago now. Byleth thought that he might have figured the man out a bit, that he was very much hiding behind the biting sarcasm because he feared that allowing himself to care for someone too much would either end in betrayal or their death. So the saint worried, in his own way, and expressed his thoughts in a way that most wouldn't bother to get to know him. Even now the memories of his past seemed to haunt him, to the point where the former mercenary was certain that he had nightmares at times. And he wouldn't be surprised at all. Someone who had been powerless to stop those he loved most, his own family, from being slaughtered as if it was nothing. They were similar in that regard. Macuil had the regret of being unable to save his mother and siblings, Byleth himself had the regret of being unable to save his father. They bonded over this in their own strange way which led to Macuil worrying more about him. Not as much as he was worried about Cethleann though.</p><p>"Mhm. You just can't appreciate the beauty found here like I do." His dry tone of voice earned him a snort from both his physical companion as well as the goddess living inside his head. A small smile slipped past his tight control, but he was no longer as worried about his reputation as he was before. These people were family now, in their odd way that they fit into his life, so showing some more emotion than a rock was something he could allow himself to do now. "What Seiros did was wrong. And I'm sorry that you and the others had to go through it. But I'm happy that you're here now. You and Mother are part of our family, so take care of yourself."  With that emotional speech out of his mouth and Byleth's jaw hanging slack, he went away to do whatever it was that he did outside of his normal routine that he had already broken by approaching him. The soft chuckling of the goddess was the only thing that reminded him that he was still in a somewhat public setting, so he tried to collect himself to the best of his abilities. No need to look like an incapable leader just because someone showed that they cared about him in their own bizarre way.</p>
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<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The borders of Fodlan and Almyra still looked the same as they did when he had last crossed them years ago. Some things truly never did change, but he hoped to bring at least a bit of acceptance in the strained relationship of his parents' birth placed. Claude was cautiously optimistic that he would be able to convince not only his father but his council and the rest of the Almyran delegation to agree to the planned alliance. Was it going to be easy? No, and he would never be foolish enough to even hope for a smooth agreement. There was going to be a lot of fighting, many compromises that are going to have to be made, and a lot of old grudges that needed to be cleared up. Idly he thought that he admired Seteth for his ability to move past whatever had happened between him and Maurice. Sure, almost a millennia had passed between then and now, but from what he had been able to gather, there was a lot more to begrudge between them than between most Lords of the Alliance and Almyra. He wished that he could have the same sincerity that his dearest friend possessed, the one that had won over Faerghus within mere months of his arrival at the capital.</p>
<p>The thought of Dimitri was still oddly painful, regardless of the fact that they were heading into the fourth year where they are separated from each other. They still constantly exchanged letters, a sign of friendship between two nations more than a testament to the close bond that they shared, but it simply wasn't the same. He was more than eager to see him again even if it meant that they would enter the most critical phase of the war yet. The blonde King had written him of the joy he had felt when one of his closest friends had been brought back by the Professor and the gratitude that he felt for Claude helping the tall man ease into life in the past. It never failed to warm his heart to see how much the older man cared for his friends, regardless of the time that they had been born into. Not that such things mattered when apparently all of his friends from the future had been planning to arrive at some point or another. He had promised Dimitri that he would keep an eye out for anyone who matched his plentiful description of his other friends. He knew that having them by his side was a comfort for him.</p>
<p>Thinking about his friend helped soothe his nerves as much as it made him even more anxious for his safety. Khalid was never sure whether that was a good thing or not, but it was something that happened to him and he couldn't change it. Not that he would even if he could. To him, worrying about his friend was like second nature by now. The man was inexperienced in politics of their time, or at least he had been years ago, so he might not see someone betraying him in secret. It was part of the reason why he was so glad that Sylvain Jose Gautier was there. The redhead was a man who could rival Yuri and him when it came to scheming, something that very few were even capable of achieving anything close to. And he obviously cared about his friends, so that was an added bonus. With Felix and Caspar by his side, there would never be anyone who could even come close to harming Dimitri. A formidable trio that was protecting a formidable King. If he wasn't a bit too cynical for such things, he would say that it was almost poetic. It was almost like those old tales of King Loog, except that his best friend didn't have just one person he could wholly rely on but three.</p>
<p>With a shake of his head, he steadied himself for the arrival of his parents. The current plan was to hold the negotiations in the Leicester Alliance, something that he had to argue a lot about until everyone finally agreed that it would be the best way to show their sincerity. He knew that his father had gotten reports from the soldiers that had been staying with the Professor and in Fhirdiad. From the few things that he had heard, courtesy of Yuri and his little birds of course, most of them sounded pretty impressed. They didn't have any expectation when they came here, still seeing all people from Fodlan as the same weakling who were too afraid to face them in open combat, but they had been thoroughly lectured. Mostly by Felix, who had been very eager to kick everyone's ass as much as was deemed necessary, but also by Professor Byleth and his squad of shapeshifting Saints. Some of them apparently didn't even want to return to Almyra, instead seeming content to stay right where they were. Nader was the one responsible to report back about the Alliance itself. It can't have been too bad though.</p>
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<p>He had honestly expected that it would take a lot of time and patience to get anywhere in these negotiations, regardless of the fact that he wasn't feeling very patient at all considering that they were a bit pressed for time. But when it took four months for anyone to even start to see on the same wavelength it was starting to seem like getting this entire thing through before they were supposed to reunite on the millennium's festival of Garreg Mach Monastery's creation was an impossible task. His father had stayed mostly silent, seemingly watching out for how his people would react to the culture shock that he had once experienced himself when he met his wife. Some were taking the idea rather well, a pleasant surprise considering that xenophobia was seemingly the only thing that the two nations had had in common at one point, but some were just criticizing anything they could. That often included Khalid's own leadership, but he had expected as much. No one had ever been truly fond of the idea that a halfbreed would have the possibility of inheriting the throne of Almyra.</p>
<p>That was like nine steps ahead of where he currently was though. Once the war was won and Dimitri had been established as the sole sovereign ruler of Fodlan until his death, then he could start to think about challenging his father for the right to rule. Not a day sooner, but not a day later either. His father was fully aware of his plans, having demanded to know what his son was planning to do once they had won the war before he had even agreed to think about officially helping them out. King Rasin was seen as one of the greatest Kings Almyra had ever had, partially due to his cunning wit and careful consideration of every decision. It was what had attracted his mother to him all those years ago, the two being able to keep each other's attention like no one else could. Truly, they were meant to be together and both had known it after just a few precious weeks together. Neither family would have accepted their union through normal means though, so his mother had eloped. Tiana von Riegan had left nothing but two letters, one to her father and one to her brother, explaining her situation and that she herself was giving up any right to hold a noble title in the Leicester Alliance.</p>
<p>It had created quite the uproar when the public was informed of her decision to run away to be with an Alymran soldier who was born without any titles that he inherited. His father hadn't been part of the last royal family, not to any extent of their knowledge at least, having been abandoned as a toddler by his parents who could no longer care for him. Everything he had now was won through hard work and a lot of blood, which had, in turn, earned him the respect of the people. Supposedly, there had never been as many spectators to a fight for the title of King as there had been when his father had challenged the old one. Khalid knew better than to believe everything he was told though, so he had once asked Nader about it. The man and his father had always been close since the day King Rasin, back then only a mere infantryman, had saved his life in a battle against invading forces. According to him, there were certainly a lot of people there, but that was to be expected. Few were brave enough to challenge a King for the right to rule after all, even if that is the only way to legitimately gain the title of King in Almyra. His father must have been quite the sight to behold in his younger days.</p>
<p>Now the King was aging with every year that passes and his enemies were waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. No one had dared to challenge him quite yet, his skills still honed to perfection and his last battle not too long ago had made sure of that, but they were frequently trying to challenge his mother's authority. Not that any of them ever succeeded in defeating the fearless warrior queen. His mother's name was as feared by Almyra's enemies as his father's, sometimes even more so when she had been the one to personally lead the campaigns against them. It was at times like these, when he thought about just how much his parents had achieved in their lives, that he felt the pressure intensify. He used to shy away from telling anyone about it, but he no longer needed to fear that he would be rejected by his peers. Instead, he sought out Lorenz of all people. The purple-haired noble knew what it was like to have large expectations placed upon him, so he could understand what he was going through best. They were by no means friends, but they got along well enough by now.</p>
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<p>After six months of endless negotiations, Faerghus sent a representative to help them convince the Almyran Generals to aid them. It was a smart choice to send Felix, a man who already preferred fighting to prove his point instead of endlessly talking about actions that should be taken. Though to be bold enough to challenge Nader, who wasn't called the Undefeated for nothing regardless of what Lady Judith said, was something that had clearly impressed those who had been present to witness it. He was so proud of his King for making such an educated choice for a representative that those around him that knew about their close friendship remarked that he would have looked less proud if he himself had come up with that. They weren't technically wrong, so he didn't bother to correct them. He knew Almyran culture, had grown up with it, but the same couldn't be said for Dimitri. Sure, the older man had grown up in a time where borders weren't an issue any longer, but grasping a completely different culture from the one you had grown up in was still difficult to do.</p>
<p>His mother had even remarked on what a good understanding of their culture the King of Faerghus must have to send someone as suited for negotiations as he did and clearly his father agreed to some extent based on his pleased look. It had certainly managed to make the remaining Generals more attentive towards Felix, stating that if the King was as capable and bold as his closest General, then an alliance shouldn't be something too difficult to achieve. This was less than optimal in his eyes, flashes of Dimitri training to be able to even properly grip a lance going through his mind. He might be better in unarmed combat, Felix had mentioned it offhandedly in one of the rare conversations they had. Apparently, he used to drag both Dimitri and Sylvain along to his own personal training schedule which included various martial arts. It said a lot about how close these three had been in their past that they could manage to look wistfully nostalgic and absolutely pissed at the same time when talking about their memories. He had noticed it before, the times where the blue-eyed young man would look almost upset.</p>
<p>It really wasn't his place to ask too much about it and he was fully aware of that, but he couldn't help but wonder just what had separated three best friends from each other. It must have been something that had shaken them all up. So he had taken the time to ask about it in a letter, making sure to clarify that if it was too personal that he didn't need to know about it. Claude wanted to know if there was any way to fix it or not, to help them get a lot closer together again than what the group of friends currently was. The answer he received made him think that no, there really wasn't anything that he could do. Reviving the dead was an almost impossible task on its own, only something that could be achieved by a truly fearsome black mage with no morals whatsoever, but to do so 800 years away from where they lived? Yeah, there was no way that anyone would be capable of doing something against it. Probably not even Teach, and he was truly afraid of what the guy was going to be capable of in the future. He could already add creating portals through time and space to that list.</p>
<p>Felix's duel against Nader was something right out of a textbook containing the most glorious of battles ever born witness to. It ended in a draw, the blue-haired spitfire being a bit too inexperienced yet to beat Almyra's most famous General, but that in and of itself was already more than enough to impress the delegation that would decide if they became allies or not. Shortly afterwards, it was time to say their farewells to him already, his presence being needed in Faerghus more than at a conference table. Though the brunette would bet that he would never forget the other man's words for the rest of his life. "It was a nice change to be out of Fhirdiad and away from Dimitri. I swear to the goddess if you don't act when all of us reunite, I'm going to strangle you myself. I can't take any more of Dima's annoying pining over how great you are." Needless to say, he had fled the vicinity immediately. It wouldn't be good if anyone saw him blushing like some fair maiden just because he heard something that he had already hoped to be true. Still, it was reassuring to know that he had a chance. And it was a damn good thing that Dimitri had already planned to turn Fodlan into a democracy after his death.</p>
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<p>After eight months and two weeks they had finally managed to agree on the finer details for their alliance which in all honesty was both quicker and a lot slower than Khalid had both feared and hoped for. The knowledge that these capable individuals hadn't found him lacking during their time here was more of a comfort than he had ever thought possible, partially because it was promising for when he would challenge his father. He had personally escorted them back to the borders, making sure that they had the best that the Leicester Alliance could offer as supplies for their way back home. His father looked so proud of him, and so openly too, that he wondered when the last time was that he had seen that particular expression on his face. Was it when he had first managed to become the victor in the annual children's tournament? It might have been. Queen Tiana, his beloved mother, had been awfully quiet during their journey. She said that she would miss being back in Alliance territory, even if she had willingly chosen to stay in Almyra and didn't regret it for one moment. It was always one thing to be away from home, but another to return there for only a short amount of time.</p>
<p>It had been clear that the death of her father, the late Duke Riegan, had hit her harder than anyone would have thought it might. Not entirely surprising, the old man had been her last family in Fodlan that she had been close to. Now she had very little reason to ever return to Alliance territory, not even to visit her son who had gone off on a mad plan to unify all of Fodlan under one banner. She had certainly been happy that it wouldn't be him who would try to unify not only all three nations of Fodlan but also Almyra, but it hadn't lessened the fear she felt for his safety. There was little he could do to comfort her though, he had to pull through. The knowledge that he wasn't alone would have to be enough for her for a while. The fact that Dimitri had sent a letter to her personally, attached to the more formal he had sent to his father from one King to another, had probably helped her accept that this was the reality they were living in. Her parting words to him were more emotional than usual, full of acceptance for who he had chosen. "King Dimitri burns bright, my star. Hold onto him."</p>
<p>Claude would forever deny the tears that had stung in his eyes when he had received her approval, but they both knew that they were there. His mother had always been able to be more emotional with him, but she had chosen not to for the most part. A warrior queen of Almyra didn't spoil her son so much that he would become weak and easily overrun by emotions after all. Maybe that hadn't worked out too great considering his current situation, but it wasn't like he couldn't focus on anything but Dimitri. He would take that as a win in his book and no one could stop him from doing that. The journey back to Deidriu was emotionally taxing and he was honestly glad that Lorenz had come with him. The purple-haired man and he got along much better than they used to, probably due to the fact that they both firmly stood on the same side for once. Their relationship had already been less strained since their time at the Academy, largely thanks to their mutually naive friend, but since they started leading the Alliance together, things had only gone smoother. They still bickered occasionally, for old times' sake, but they weren't at each other's throats anymore.</p>
<p>Once they were back, he told Lorenz to stand in for him at the meeting that would likely be called that day. He wanted to visit his grandfather's grave, to finally make peace with the fact that the old man had been unable to accept him but had still been his family in some twisted way. The only thing that had ever connected them was his mother, who had loved them both in her special way. No matter how difficult the relationship between father and daughter had been, Tiana von Riegan had never missed a month where she had written to her father to tell him of her life across the mountains. He had found countless letters kept in a locked drawer, the ones that mentioned him had been preserved especially well. He had even found a letter that had been addressed to him, dated only days before the old man had died. He hadn't had the strength to read it until that moment, sitting in front of his grandfather's grave. The knowledge that he had been loved by him, written down by his grandfather when he was dying, was almost enough to break him. He couldn't remember how long he cried until Raphael found him.</p>
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<p>One more year until they could all meet up. That was all Claude could think about at times. The letter from his grandfather had given him the confidence he needed to push on when it came to the question of how they would best utilize their Almyran allies. He stood firm on the subject that they would not fight on Gronder Field, regardless of what was going to happen. Having heard that it would bring about not only Nader's death, who hadn't reacted well to that when he had told him, but also Flayn's and therefore Seteth's deaths was enough for him to refuse to budge. He had written Dimitri about the letter he had found, about the fact that even if his gramps had never been able to accept his Almyran heritage he had still loved him. His sweet King had only responded that it had been obvious that the man had loved him, or else he wouldn't have left Failnaught for him. There were plenty of people with crests who didn't have a relic after all. It had amazed him that the blue-eyed man had had so much faith in a man he hadn't ever met to be able to confidently say, or well, write, that he had loved his grandson who had a father the old man had seen as a savage.</p>
<p>He hoped that he could make the old man proud, that he could lead them to victory as Dimitri seemed to think that he was able to. And if there was something like the afterlife, Sothis hadn't been able to comment on it with her still lacking memory, then he hoped he would see him again one day. They would have a lot to talk about, probably with a lot more tears on his side than he would be comfortable spilling in his current position. It was still difficult at times, the scalding comment from Lord Gloucester still forced him to grit his teeth and do his best to smile through it, but he was getting better at handling the mess that was the Leicester Alliance. Would it be enough to help them win the war? Perhaps not, there was no telling how much damage the Adrestian Empire could possibly inflict. They were no longer on a path that either Dimitri and his friends or Linhardt, Hilda, and himself knew about. It was probably going to be a lot more difficult for them moving forward, but this was still a war. One they had been preparing for years now. There was no way that they could fail.</p>
<p>Claude was even starting to exchange frequent letters with some of the minor houses, their insight on what could be done to help them prepare for an invasion into Adrestia much more practical than any of their trained knowledge on terrain. He had even received the occasional letter from one of the saints, mostly Seteth since he had asked him to keep an eye on Maurice and to make sure that nothing could happen to the poor man until they were ready to actually face Agartha. Macuil had sent one to apologize, saying that he had been unreasonable and too short-tempered. Indech had been genuinely curious about how the world was working these days, his letters filled with short questions on the differences that had occurred since he had hidden himself away. Cethleann wrote whenever she heard about something that could interest him, be it a rumor of some sort or a little fact that he probably hadn't known before. It was sweet and made him feel like they actually cared about him. Professor Byleth had sent him multiple letters in the span of a few short months, mostly scolding him for things that he had done but his Professor should have no idea that he had actually done.</p>
<p>There were letters exchanged with Sylvain, discussing possible strategies and ways that they could infiltrate the Adrestian Empire to get a better grip on their strength. Linhardt wrote him about his research on crests and how much he had started to despise them. Caspar wrote about the many military campaigns he was being assigned to and how happy he was that the people of Faerghus trusted him. He received two letters from Felix, both filled with complaints about Dimitri's attitude towards training. Dedue Molinaro wrote him quite often, more short notes than full letters really, about all things that concerned the King of Faerghus. They quickly bonded over their shared worrying that the blonde would be caught up in some elaborate plot. But the letters he enjoyed reading the most and that came most frequently were those from Dimitri himself. They varied in length, depending on how much his friend had to say. Things that he had found out, things he learned, what he grew to like, how his people were graciously supporting him with everything they could offer. He couldn't wait to see him again. Only one more year until they were finally reunited.</p>
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<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The closer the time came for their reunion, the more nervous Dimitri became. Logically he knew that there was nothing he had to fear, his friends were all very capable individuals after all, but the fact that they would then be entering the most active phase of the war was still nagging at him. He had had four years to prepare now and he still wasn't ready to face the fact that he would soon have to kill again. With Dedue showing up out of nowhere, being escorted all the way to Fhirdiad by Professor Byleth and his group consisting of saints and soldiers, he at least had someone he could talk to that wouldn't immediately see through him. Sure, the tall man knew him well, almost to an eerie degree, but he couldn't compare to Felix or Sylvain. Not even to Claude in some ways, considering that he felt way more like himself in the presence of the brunette than almost anyone else. It was helpful that their first few conversations had been all about their own time and how badly their friends there had taken his sudden disappearance. The guilt that he felt was a sharp thing, but it was still better than openly admitting just how scared he was of what was yet to come.</p><p>Hearing about his father and Rodrigue had been especially painful in the beginning. Two of the best men that he had ever had the honor of knowing and calling his family were scared that he was dead. And in a way, he was, at least from their perspective. He was 800 years in the past with no obvious way to get back other than to hope that Professor Byleth would be able to open a portal by the end of the war. But even then, he would have lost so much time that he wasn't certain that he would want to go back anymore. It wasn't like he had to make a choice right now, but it was something that he would have to confront eventually. Leaving would be painful, but staying would be almost equally so. There was no middle of the road for him, he had to decide whether he wanted to build a new future here, with the new friends he found, or if he wanted to return to his own time, back to the family he had left behind. It kept him up at night, though he would never openly admit that to anyone, not at this time at least. Too much was happening in Fhirdiad, in the royal palace right now.</p><p>Cornelia had started an open rebellion against him, had called him a false Blaiddyd, and called for his removal from the throne. There were a few that were supporting her, corrupt officials that Sylvain and he had thrown out the moment the truth had been exposed to them. He should have seen it coming, he did in a way, but it still blindsided him a bit. Felix refused to leave his side for too long, claiming that he needed to be protected and that Caspar was more than good enough to keep the few Adrestian attacks under control by himself. It had all started after he had publicly cleared Duscur's name from the crime of Regicide. The commoners had been shocked and then outraged, demanding justice for the poor innocent people who were forced to live in terrible conditions. Dimitri himself had only been too happy to help, Dedue's gratitude-filled smile following his every step. An investigation had been ordered, headed by none other than Felix and Sylvain, a power couple no one could hope to hide the truth from. It had taken a lot of patience, but over two years they had managed to root out most of the conspirators and to return the land to its rightful people.</p><p>The Western Church, who refused to listen to Professor Byleth or any of the saints even if they knew their identities, had been outraged. A heretic was what he had been called by them, something that the unhappy Lords jumped on without even a second thought. How exactly Cornelia had become their leader, he had no idea. The public had been content to simply watch for now, especially after the saints had spoken in his favor. After all, if he was truly favored by the goddess, such a small, trivial matter shouldn't be too difficult to deal with, right? House Fraldarius and House Gautier stood behind him with a fierce determination that honestly surprised him. House Galatea spoke in his favor as well, while Count Rowe of Arianrhod chose to stand on the side of the rebels. A pity, the man was a capable leader on the battlefield, to have to get rid of him was to essentially cripple their own strength by quite a bit. The Almyran soldiers who had decided to stay in his court had been particularly aggressive against any of the rebels, attacking them as soon as they caught sight of them.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>Weeks turned into months and he was still desperately trying to quell the rebellion until not even the slightest dissatisfaction with his way of governing the Kingdom was left. It wasn't his style to react so harshly, to essentially condemn everyone who spoke out against his choice to support Duscur to death, but it had to be done. If Emperor Edelgard sensed even the slightest weakness in him, she would not hesitate to use it against him. So in order to avoid a long-lasting civil war, he had openly challenged the rebels to meet him and his soldiers on a field near Fhirdiad. It was a gamble, he had no idea how many would actually show up after all, but one he had to take in order to protect his people from getting in the crossfire of something they wanted nothing to do with. Claude hadn't been happy with him when he had written to him about his solution to this peculiar problem, saying that he should have just gotten rid of them as soon as he ascended the throne, but they both knew that it hadn't been possible then. Only now, when Cornelia was seen as a madwoman who was trying to kill the King of Faerghus to crown herself Queen, could he act as he wished.</p><p>The night before they were supposed to meet the rebels on the battlefield was probably the worst one he had in quite a long time. There was no Claude here to keep dangerous enemies away from him by killing them with his impeccable aim. No Professor Byleth with his Sword of the Creator that can literally break apart a mountain if he so wished. No Golden Deers except for Caspar and Linhardt who could watch his back. At least he still had Felix, Sylvain, and Dedue with him, so he felt a bit less like he was definitely going to die than he would if he were to face them all on his own. Yuri had crawled out of whatever hole he had been hiding in too, probably on orders of the Professor, to support him with his gang of misfits. It was oddly sweet to know that he had so many people that were ready to support him when he was facing such a difficult situation, but it didn't really manage to calm down his nerves. It almost felt like there was an imaginary voice in his head, telling him that he was not good enough. That he would be the reason why his friends would die, because he was dragging them down.</p><p>When standing on the battlefield the next day, he really felt like he should have listened to Felix more when he lectured him about the importance of keeping a regular training schedule in order to get better. He was far from the worst on the battlefield, practical experience was something that he had in this case, but the unfamiliar weight of Areadbhar something that he just couldn't seem to get used to. He also witnessed the strength of Cornelia and realized why exactly she was able to cure the plague that had run rampant years ago. She was definitely a powerful spellcaster, perhaps even able to rival the older version of Linhardt. Speaking of Linhardt, the green-haired mage had told them to leave Cornelia to him, which hadn't made much sense until now. He must have already known that she was this good and had wanted to make sure that none of them could accidentally die while facing her. He was oddly protective like that. Though at the moment he could clearly see that it was his older version who was fighting, the one that had gotten so used to blood that it had stopped bothering him, and he looked more pissed off than he had ever imagined the man could look.</p><p>Due to his carelessness, he had almost had his head cut off by a swordmaster whom he hadn't seen approach. If it hadn't been for the sudden burst of wind magic and his somewhat quick reaction, he might have lost an eye. But the magic was so familiar to him that he could feel the tears prick in his eyes. There was no one that he knew of who could control wind magic quite like Annette, the redhead having done everything that she could to make herself stronger than she already was in order to help Mercedes when she needed someone to rely on. When he actually had the balls to turn around, he almost fainted right on the spot. Dimitri would have sworn that he saw Felix, Sylvain, and Dedue freeze for a moment too before realizing that they were in fact on a battlefield. Though the shock of seeing all of his friends there was almost overtaken by the shock of suddenly being tackled to the ground and barely managing to dodge the oncoming magical attack that way. That definitely would have killed him. He turned his head to see Cornelia gritting her teeth, probably angry because she missed. Felix seemed to be through with putting up with her, charging through the few soldiers blocking him from reaching her before cutting off her arms, only mildly disturbing the soldiers.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>There had been an embarrassing amount of tears when he finally had had the time to internalize the fact that all of his friends from the future had chosen to travel through time and space in order to help him survive this damn war. Apparently, neither his father nor Rodrigue had taken too well to being told that they would all leave and that they were in fact not allowed to follow. He could almost imagine it, the blonde and blue hair of the two middle-aged men whipping around as they argued with a stoic Professor Byleth who wasn't having any of that shit. It was... upsetting to know that neither of them was allowed to come to this time, but it also made sense. Not to mention that most of his lies were based on the fact that he didn't have any parents. It would, to put it kindly, be disastrous if he was found out to be an imposter now. Well, he was only sort of an imposter since he actually is a Blaiddyd and no amount of time travel shenanigans would ever change that fact. That wouldn't stop anyone from Agartha from trying to prove the world otherwise though, as Cornelia's rebellion had shown him. The people loved him, sure, but he was too radical for the nobility.</p><p>That had haunted him for quite some time afterwards. At least until he had found the courage to ask Claude about his opinion in one of their regularly exchanged letters. The future King of Almyra, not that anyone except their core group was aware of that particular fact just yet, had only told him that there would need to be a push forward eventually anyway. So it was apparently a good thing that he had made the first move by reestablishing the sovereignty of Duscur. A month after the battle where Felix had so skillfully shown that he was not above maiming people, he had sent Dedue back to his place of birth. No one there would recognize him at first, but his faith in his loyal friend was as strong as it always had been. If anyone would be capable of helping Duscur back on its feet, it would be him. Ashe has followed his boyfriend like the loyal puppy he reminded him of, always eager to help in whatever way he was capable of. It was heartwarming to witness how close their relationship was, even if it made his own heart twinge with the knowledge that he wasn't yet reunited with the one he had a crush on.</p><p>Half a year had never seemed to be a longer time than it was in those nights where he could only lie awake, hoping against all hope that there wouldn't be too many lives that would get lost in this damned conflict. If they could, he would like to spare as many Adrestian soldiers as he possibly could, much to the disdain of Felix. The blue-haired swordsman had only glared at him when he had told his friends about his plans and then immediately left to go join Caspar defend the borders. There was still too much between them that was clearly left unsaid and it hurt his soul to know that their friendship was rebuilding only ever so slowly. On the positive side, he had never seen Ingrid as lively as she was now, at least not ever since Glenn had died and essentially had taken a part of her with him. Many of his friends were better suited to live in this time it seemed, where no expectations could be placed upon them and there was no reminder of the grief they had had to face so many years ago now. Occasionally he would still have nightmares of the older Fraldarius brother, but they had been getting less and less intense the more time he spent in the past.</p><p>A part of him feared that he would forget this man who had helped form him into the person he was now, though there was no possible way that something like that would ever happen without the influence of dark magic that could affect his memories. Still, he felt the need to build some kind of memorial, something only his friends and he would ever understand, something that was their little secret as much as it was their biggest regret. The planning didn't take long, Linhardt having provided the perfect opportunity for Felix to return to help build his brother's memorial in this time. Dimitri didn't have the words necessary to express his gratitude, everything that he tried to come up with just sounded either too insincere or like it was not as important as it actually was to them, so he simply raised the budget for all of his future projects as well as grant Linhardt access to any book the royal library or the School of Mages in Fhirdiad had. It seemed to have gotten his point across well enough, which had been a huge relief.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>When there were only three months left until they would finally reunite with their other friends from the Alliance as well as the Professor and his group, Dimitri felt like he couldn't sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. Nervous wasn't a fitting description for him any longer and he was fully aware of that. To the futuristic eye, he might have looked like an addict who hadn't had any drugs for the past few days in an attempt to quit cold turkey. It was an odd description, but one that he found somewhat fitting if he had to be completely honest. Dedue and Ashe had returned from their mission, insisting that Duscur would still be there when the war was over, and they were trying their best to keep him calm as much as any person could. It was working, to a certain extent. But nothing was better than the moment where Felix returned to the capital, dragged him to the training field, and told him to let out his energy in a more useful manner than constant pacing. Now he spent every waking minute where he didn't have to deal with official Kingdom business on the training grounds, honing his skills in order to be more prepared for the clashes that were yet to come.</p><p>It certainly felt like he was getting better with every day that he woke up with sore muscles and an exhaustion that he hadn't felt before, so that was at least something positive about the entire situation. He still wrote Claude as regularly as he could, telling him of all the training he was doing under Felix, and how damn long his hair was getting. In those five years that they had spent apart, he hadn't cut it more than what was absolutely necessary to keep it healthy. He could admit that he looked good with long hair, it suited his face more than he had thought it would when they had joked all those years ago that he should just let it grow. It was a bit of a pain to maintain though, so he was still very grateful that he had Linhardt and now Ingrid to help him with that. They had pushed him to try out different hairstyles whenever he could, and occasionally he went out to visit some orphanages where the little girls always wanted to braid his hair and he let them. He could tell that it meant a lot to them, almost as much as getting food personally provided by the castle itself.</p><p>There were even times where he had been the one to cook for his people. The first time he had done it, he had been getting scandalized looks from the staff, but they never actually complained about him using their kitchens. Probably because they thought that they didn't have the right to refuse their king anything that he wished. If that included cooking for the orphans and homeless of Fhirdiad? Well, it was certainly an odd thing to do for royalty, but it wasn't like it was a bad thing. And those that had eaten his food seemed to like it, though there was no telling if they were just trying to please him. According to Felix, both could very well be the case. Apparently, his behavior made some of the minor Lords who had been struggling to gain backing open their eyes to the needs of the common folk. For that alone, it was worth enduring the cuts, blisters, and ruined clothes that he had to endure sometimes. Not that he ever mentioned any of these injuries to anyone but Mercedes, who graciously took the time out of her day to heal him every time he came with another minor injury. Usually, he might not have even have had them healed, but he couldn't really miss even a day of training.</p><p>Holding Areadbhar was still a foreign feeling, no matter how many times he took up the lance. It was wrong somehow, like he wasn't supposed to hold the lance or else he would dirty its existence by staining it with blood. It was something that Felix had even agreed on, which was saying something because his dear friend was still trying to find fault in every little thing that he said. It was more of a game at this point in time than an action done out of actual malice though. Sylvain had dramatically rolled his eyes at them when he found out that they were engaging in such childish behavior. Then he proceeded to drag Felix away for some private training lessons. And Dimitri really didn't want or need to know what they actually did, the flush on their cheeks was already telling enough as it is. He was happy for them, of course he was, he wasn't trying to be a bad friend after all, but he did not want to know any details of their sex life. Nor did he have any desire to ever be forced to see Sylvain's nake body ever again. Once in his poor life had been enough to traumatize him beyond help.</p><p>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>And so these last three months passed in a blurry mess of training, avoiding Sylvain and Felix making out whenever he could, helping Linhardt with some light research, talking a lot but saying very little of meaning in the end, writing to his friends, and whining about the constant pressure the Kingdom Lords were putting on him and counting the days until it was finally time to leave Fhirdiad if they wanted to be on time for their class reunion. With a slightly bigger group this time, but that wasn't going to be an issue. He wasn't the only one bringing someone new along. He tried his best to think as little about the fact that he would get to meet Saint Indech and Saint Macuil in person soon, to varying degrees of success. It had taken a lot of pleading for Claude to tell him anything about the two brothers, but in the end, he still wouldn't have a complete picture until he had met them himself. It was going to be an experience not many could claim to have made, so it was worth going through the effort for that alone. Not to mention that they would be valuable allies to have, considering that they were currently facing the same foe that these men and women have faced a millennia ago.</p><p>Days before their supposed departure, he buried himself in his work and the preparations that needed to be made for their journey back to Garreg Mach Monastery, They had all come to the decision that they should leave the head of House Fraldarius as the acting Regent in his stead, with the Margrave Gautier being the immediate successor should anything happen to that man. Dimitri hoped that it wouldn't, not when they had opened their arms and homes for Felix so willingly and had actually managed in making the prickly young man feel comfortable enough to call it his home. It had taken most of them by surprise the first time they had overheard a conversation between the two Fraldarius men, but by now it was just obvious that everyone was genuinely happy for the blue-haired menace they all were calling their friend. For that alone, it had totally been worth it to come to the past. If staying here would make the other man happy, he would gladly stay here too. The blonde King had a feeling that Sylvain was sharing his sentiments in that particular regard.</p><p>And then, sooner than he had been prepared for, the day of their departure came. It would take them quite a while to get back to Garreg Mach Monastery, especially since they were meeting up with Professor Eisner beforehand. It would give him the chance to introduce his newly arrived friends to his teacher, though he had little doubt that Yuri had already kept him well informed on everything that had happened ever since he had moved his base of operations to Fhirdiad on his orders. He really did his best to not think about what weird relationship these two might be in, mostly because he would like to stay sane during the war, and because he was still trying to avoid thinking about Felix and Sylvain in a relationship. He didn't have a clue when it had happened, though it must have been somewhere in the past five years, he wasn't sure how it happened, and he really didn't like to think too much about these things. As long as they were happy together, he wouldn't touch whatever they did with a ten-foot pole. Which was probably the best decision he would ever make, considering that one of them alone was more than enough to rip him to shreds if he wasn't careful.</p><p>They arrived a day earlier than expected, Saint Macuil having grumbled and complained so much that none of them were even willing to test his patience more than was strictly necessary, so there still wasn't any sign of the other Deers. Undoubtedly Claude would arrive early too though, it was just who he was. Always trying to be one step ahead of everyone else. It made a ticklish warmth engulf his body, one that was so very familiar by now that he openly welcomed it. He chatted a bit with the Professor, getting the assurance he had lacked so much that the group was fine, even if Ferdinand had abandoned them to go chase some sort of glory in Alliance territory. Dimitri suspected that he simply wanted to be around someone who shared his sensibilities, and who would fit that bill better than Lorenz? He got to talk to Saint Indech, who was a bit uncomfortable around them at first, and realized that he was just a big, soft-hearted, introvert who worried a lot about his family. "Dimitri! Claude and the others are here!" Caspar's voice was heard across the entire camp. He felt his heart beat faster as he broke into a sprint to welcome his dearest friend. Five years was too long to be parted.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so, we reach the end of the time skip. I apologize if it isn't what you might have thought it to be, but I did my best.<br/>Anyway, I will be taking a break from this story for a while, before I force myself into a writer's block.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this is my first fanfic that I actually dare to post.</p>
<p>For those of you who are a bit confused, I'll explain some key things now.</p>
<p>1: Dimitri wasn't born in the time that the game is set in but instead about 800 years after the war ended.</p>
<p>2: The Blue Lions aren't going to be in the war, since I need them to be alive in the future that Dimitri comes from for some important story beats later.</p>
<p>3: Tomas, or at least the appearance of Tomas, is the descendant of one of the Argatheans that survived the war. He gave the book to Dimitri in the hope that he might be killed and change the outcome of the war. It's my firm believe that people who could produce nukes during medieval times will eventually have been able to create a time spell.</p>
<p>4: Byleth will not be as heavily featured as he is in the game. Mostly because I want to show a story where you can't just rely on some all powerful god to save you.</p>
<p>5: This story is going to start before the game and will end quite a bit after Verdant Wind is finished.</p>
<p>6: I purposefully made it so that most records of that time have been lost. I don't want Dimitri to just know everything that happens.</p>
<p>So anyway, I will be updating this story every Sunday. I have most of the fanfiction already written, but I want to make sure that it's in a presentable state first.</p>
<p>And with that I hope you have a wonderful day and thank you for giving this idea of mine a chance.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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